Guterres arrives in Syria in first official visit by a UN chief in 17 years
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Syria for a multi-day visit, marking the first such trip by a UN chief in 17 years. He is scheduled to meet with President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss the country's post-civil war recovery and inspect ceasefire monitoring efforts in the Golan Heights.
Why it matters
This visit signals a significant shift in international diplomacy toward Syria following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad and the end of a 14-year civil war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was under UN Security Council sanctions until last year.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Syria's Foreign Affairs Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, right, receives UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Damascus International Airport in Damascus [AFP] By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 25 Jul 2026 25 Jul 2026 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has landed in Syria, marking the first official visit by a serving UN chief in 17 years.
Guterres arrived on Saturday morning at Damascus international airport, where he and his delegation were met by Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Syria’s state news agency reported.
During the trip, Guterres will meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who was under UN Security Council sanctions until last year.
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