Macron in Syria on First Post-Assad Visit by West European Head of State
Macron will discuss minority protections, anti-IS cooperation and reconstruction as French businesses weigh returning to a country seeking international reintegration.
- French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday, marking the first visit by a European Union head of state since President Ahmed al-Sharaa took power in 2024, underlining Syria's geopolitical transformation.
- Following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, Sharaa seeks to revive the country after 13 years of war, while Macron aims to address reconstruction, security challenges, and minority protection in Alawite and Druze heartlands.
- Accompanying the president are economic leaders including CMA CGM chief Rodolphe Saade and TotalEnergies head Patrick Pouyanne; local resident Faisal Azouz said the visit could "open new prospects for economic, cultural and political relations."
- Macron travels to Ankara on Tuesday for a NATO summit, where President Donald Trump will meet Sharaa on July 8, though France has disagreed with Trump's suggestions that Syria could tackle Hezbollah in Lebanon.
- Expert Denis Bauchard noted the trip reflects a desire to consolidate the new regime while balancing influence between Israel and Turkey, as Syria's Kurds recently agreed to integrate their institutions into the state.
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51 Articles
Made famous all over the world in January, Emmanuel Macron's flight goggles have been back for a few days.
Macron Becomes First Major Western Leader To Visit Syria After Assad's Ouster: What It Means
French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Damascus marks a shift in Western engagement with Syria's new leadership, with reconstruction, security and diplomatic ties at the centre of talks.
Emmanuel Macron became the first EU Head of State to visit Damascus after the overthrow of Bashar Assad's regime.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday praised France's "constructive" role in the transition period following the conflict that toppled the country's longtime leader Bashar al-Assad.
On Monday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus. This is the first visit by a European head of state since the fall of the Assad regime in 2024. According to Syrian authorities, a delegation of business leaders and investors is accompanying the French president. For Syrians, this visit raises hopes that the country, where most international sanctions have been lifted, will rejoin the international community.
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