United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres has arrived in Syria, marking the first official visit to the war-torn country by a serving UN chief in 17 years.
On Saturday morning, July 25, Guterres arrived at Damascus International Airport, where he and his delegation were welcomed by Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Antonio Gutterres' Syria trip itinerary
During the trip, Guterres will meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who was under UN Security Council restrictions until last year.
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Guterres will also hold talks with al-Shaibani, other government officials and representatives of Syrian civil society.
The visit will include a field tour to inspect the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), stationed in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, as part of efforts to monitor commitments under the ceasefire agreement with Israel.
First visit since 2009
The UN chief's visit is a first since 2009, before the country's devastating 14-year civil war broke out.
Moreover, the visit marks a historic diplomatic milestone for al-Sharaa, who has sought to rebuild international ties since he took power after Bashar al-Assad was ousted in 2024.
A 'more inclusive' Syria
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres plans to highlight that Syria has an opportunity to "not only to recover from conflict, but also to lay the foundations for a future for Syria that will be more stable, more inclusive, and more prosperous for all Syrians".
Guterres is expected to be in Damascus for several days, but the full schedule of his visit has not been released by his office. He is expected to address Syria's new parliament on Monday.
Damascus hotel blasts
Notably, the visit also came just weeks after two bombs exploded near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron spent the night.
