Newsletters
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday for the first visit by a Western head of state to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024, marking what officials on both sides described as a pivotal shift in bilateral relations and Syria's reintegration into the international community.
Macron was received at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
The visit, which extends into Tuesday, is the first by a French president to Syria in 17 years, with Nicolas Sarkozy having been the last to make the trip in 2009, before Assad suppressed a pro-democracy uprising in 2011, setting off a civil war that killed more than half a million people and gutted the country's infrastructure.
"I came to affirm France's commitment to the Syrian people," Macron wrote on X. "For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbors. Together, let us open a new chapter of stability and peace."
The Elysee Palace said the visit was intended to signal France's concrete commitments to Syria's reconstruction and the opening of a new partnership in the economic and security spheres. The two countries are also expected to support efforts to diversify supply routes between Europe and the Middle East.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa confirmed that Syria and France would sign agreements during the visit, calling Macron's arrival a significant development in relations between the two countries.
Speaking to French broadcaster BFM TV in an interview published by Syrian state news agency SANA, al-Sharaa said France would contribute to the development of Syria's infrastructure and financial sector, adding that there are many other areas where French expertise could play a role.
"Syria is currently in the reconstruction phase, and it has many resources," al-Sharaa said.
"It needs countries that are advanced in technology, and France is one of the most advanced countries in this field."
Al-Sharaa also praised Macron's role in the post-Assad transition, saying his French counterpart had followed every step of the process and helped in the lifting of international sanctions on Damascus.
Macron is accompanied by prominent figures from French industry, including Rodolphe Saade, chief executive of maritime transport company CMA CGM, and Patrick Pouyanne, head of energy major TotalEnergies, signaling France's intent to position its businesses for a role in Syria's economic recovery.
French companies are nonetheless reported to remain cautious about re-entering the Syrian market.
Macron and al-Sharaa visited the historic Umayyad Mosque in central Damascus on Monday evening following a working dinner, according to AFP journalists on the ground.
Syrian state news agency SANA described the visit as a pivotal step in restoring Syria's international presence.
Among ordinary Syrians, the visit drew a cautiously optimistic response. "If Syria wasn't safe and stable, no president or foreign official would take the risk of coming," said Diala Akkashe, 33, a dressmaker in Damascus.
Faisal Azouz, 76, a retired teacher, expressed similar hopes: "We hope this visit will represent a new start for Syria."
The visit comes against a difficult backdrop. A bombing at a Damascus cafe last week underscored the security challenges facing the new authorities as they work to reunify a country fractured by more than 13 years of civil war.
Macron is also expected to press al-Sharaa on his commitments to protect minority communities, following sectarian violence in Syria's Alawite and Druze regions last year.
Macron's Damascus visit comes in the lead-up to the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, to be held in Ankara.
The French leader had hosted al-Sharaa in Paris in May 2025, in what was the Syrian president's first official visit to a European country, a visit that preceded al-Sharaa's trip to Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
