Guterres arrives in Syria for first official UN chief visit in 17 years

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Syria for the first official visit by a serving UN chief in 17 years. He landed at Damascus international airport on Saturday morning and was met by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, according to the Syrian state news agency. The trip is being treated as a diplomatic milestone after Syria's political transition in 2024.

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During the visit, Guterres is due to meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was under UN Security Council sanctions until last year, as well as al-Shaibani, other government officials and representatives of Syrian civil society. The UN chief is also expected to visit the UN Disengagement Observer Force, known as UNDOF, in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. That field tour is intended to examine the mission's role in monitoring commitments under the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The visit is the first by a serving UN secretary-general since 2009, before Syria's 14-year civil war began. It comes as al-Sharaa seeks to rebuild international ties after taking power following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in 2024. For Damascus, the arrival of the UN chief offers a high-profile sign of renewed engagement with international institutions after years of conflict and isolation.

The trip also carries wider political significance because it places the UN directly in contact with Syria's new leadership at a sensitive moment. Guterres is expected to underline that Syria has an opportunity not only to recover from conflict, but also to build a more stable, inclusive and prosperous future, according to a UN spokesperson. His planned visit to UNDOF also highlights the continuing importance of the Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line and the UN's monitoring role in the occupied Golan Heights.

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The timing of the visit adds to its relevance. It comes only weeks after bombings near a Damascus hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron stayed during a separate visit, an incident that Syrian authorities said they had linked to an ISIL cell. That earlier trip was itself notable as the first visit to Syria by a European Union head of state since Assad was toppled.

Together, the visits suggest that Syria's new authorities are seeking to broaden diplomatic contacts while still facing security and political challenges. Guterres is expected to remain in Damascus for several days, but his office has not released the full schedule. He is also expected to address Syria's new parliament on Monday.

What remains unclear is how far the visit will translate into concrete UN support or political commitments, and whether it will lead to further international engagement with the new Syrian leadership in the coming weeks.

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