United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Syria on an official visit to engage high-level government leadership on the country's political transition and ongoing humanitarian challenges.

Received at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Guterres is making the first visit by a sitting UN chief to the nation since 2009, when former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon traveled to Damascus. During the official visit, Guterres is scheduled to hold talks with Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and other senior officials to reaffirm UN support for the Syrian population following more than 13 years of civil war.

High-Level Discussions and Political Transition

The Secretary-General's mission focuses on supporting state stability, legal institutions, and humanitarian relief during Syria's transitional era. The official itinerary includes high-level bilateral talks alongside addresses to government stakeholders.

Key Agenda Priorities

• Political Support: Expressing direct international backing for the transitional government and national unity initiatives.
• Security Integration: Reviewing progress on the military and security integration between the central government in Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), following their January 29 agreement.
• Humanitarian Assistance: Addressing critical aid shortfalls and structural recovery needs across affected regions.

Security Coordination and Suwayda Accountability

The diplomatic visit coincides with UN Security Council sessions evaluating the broader political and security framework inside Syria.

UN Deputy Special Envoy Claudio Cordone noted that substantive progress has been recorded regarding security integration between central authorities and the SDF. However, UN officials also emphasized the critical situation in Suwayda Governorate, calling for formal accountability and transparent investigations regarding human rights violations reported in the region late last month.