Damascus, Dec. 7 (SANA) Since December 8, 2024, Damascus has emerged from years of isolation and conflict, shedding the weight of war and authoritarian rule. Liberation has transformed the city into a hub of diplomatic activity, welcoming dozens of Arab and international delegations and signaling Syria’s return to its regional and global role.
More than seventy delegations, including representatives from Arab states, international organizations, and the United Nations, have met with President Ahmad al-Sharaa, demonstrating both political and moral support for a country entering a critical phase of its modern history. These visits reflect the international community’s interest in reintegrating Syria not as a war-torn state, but as a stable nation pursuing balanced foreign relations and diverse international partnerships.
President al-Sharaa’s packed schedule of diplomatic engagements underscores a new era of political openness and international outreach. This post-liberation diplomacy goes beyond ceremonial gestures—it represents a strategic effort to rebuild Syria’s network of regional and global relations after years of isolation.
Below is a timeline of the official delegations and diplomatic meetings held since December 2024:
Timeline of Diplomatic Engagements:
December, 2024:
15 December: Ahmad al-Sharaa, head of the new Syrian administration, receives UN Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen to discuss revisions to Resolution 2254.
16 December: leader al-Sharaa meets a British Foreign Office delegation to discuss recent developments in Syria.
18 December: Meeting with a German Foreign Ministry delegation.
22 December: Al-Sharaa meets a Turkish delegation led by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Meets a delegation from Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party headed by Walid Jumblatt, accompanied by MPs and Druze religious figures.
23 December: Al-Sharaa receives a Jordanian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
Meeting with a Qatari delegation headed by Minister of State Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi
26 December: Meeting with Iraqi Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri, envoy of the Iraqi Prime Minister.
28 December: Al-Sharaa receives a high-level Bahraini delegation led by Strategic Security Agency Chief Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa.
Meeting with a Libyan delegation headed by State Minister for Communication and Political Affairs Walid Al-Lafi.
30 December: Official Ukrainian delegation received by al-Sharaa, headed by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha
Al-Sharaa meets Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi.
January 2025:
3 January: Al-Sharaa meets French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and EU chargé d’affaires Michael Ohnmacht.
8 January: Meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani
10 January: Al-Sharaa receives an Italian delegation led by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
11 January: Meeting with an Omani delegation headed by Sultanate’s special envoy Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Hinai.
Al-Sharaa receives Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
15 January: Meeting with a delegation from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights led by Volker Türk.
16 January: Meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.
Meeting with a senior Qatari delegation led by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
17 January: Al-Sharaa receives an EU Commission delegation headed by Commissioner Hadja Lahbib.
Meeting with an International Criminal Court delegation led by Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan
18 January: Meeting with an Arab League delegation led by Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki.
19 January: Al-Sharaa meets a Norwegian delegation led by Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
Meeting with Debra Tice, mother of missing American journalist Austin Tice.
20 January :Second meeting with UN Envoy Geir Pedersen.
23 January: Al-Sharaa receives a Belarusian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov.
24 January: High-level Saudi delegation arrives, led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
25 January: Meeting with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
26 January: Al-Sharaa meets Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin.
28 January: Meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
29 January: Al-Sharaa meets Russian Special Envoy Mikhail Bogdanov.
30 January: President Ahmad Al-Sharaa receives the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
February 2025:
6 February: Meeting with Slovenian Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon.
8 February: Al-Sharaa receives a delegation from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Meeting with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf.
9 February: Meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis.
20 February: Al-Sharaa meets Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.
21 February: Meeting with Chinese Ambassador Shi Hongwei.
28 February: Al-Sharaa receives a Turkish delegation led by Bilal Erdogan, head of the Science Dissemination Foundation.
March 2025 :
12 March: Meeting with a delegation from the International Union of Muslim Scholars.
13 March: High-level Turkish delegation visits Damascus, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Güler, and Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin.
20 March: Al-Sharaa meets a German delegation led by FM Annalena Baerbock and European Parliament Vice-President Armin Laschet.
April 2025:
10 April: Meeting with a South Korean delegation led by Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.
14 April: Al-Sharaa receives Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
17 April: Meeting with Jordan’s Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
Al-Sharaa receives Executive Director of the World Economic Forum Maroun Kairouz.
18 April: Meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
19 April: Meeting with U.S. Congressman Cory Mills.
21 April: Meeting with U.S. Congresswoman Marlin Stutzman.
25 April: Al-Sharaa receives Iraqi Intelligence Chief Hamid al-Shatri.
May 2025 :
2 May: Meeting with former Lebanese PSP leader Walid Jumblatt.
Al-Sharaa meets a U.S. delegation led by businessman Jonathan Bass.
4 May: Meeting with an Azerbaijani delegation headed by Deputy PM Samir Sharifov.
12 May: Meeting with a Chinese diplomatic delegation led by Chen Weiqing
22 May: Al-Sharaa receives Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
26 May: Meeting with IRC President David Miliband.
29 May: Al-Sharaa meets U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack
31 May: Meeting with a Saudi delegation led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
June 2025 :
9 June: Meeting with Iraqi Envoy Ezzat Alshabandar
21 June: Al-Sharaa meets UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
July 2025 :
5 July: Meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
9 July: Meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack.
10 July: Meeting with a Turkish business delegation from TOBB led by Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu.
August 2025 :
7 August: Al-Sharaa meets Turkish FM Hakan Fidan.
19 August: Meeting with CMA CGM Group Chairman Rodolphe Saadé.
25 August: Al-Sharaa receives a high-level U.S. delegation led by Special Envoy Tom Barrack, joined by Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman Joe Wilson.
September 2025 :
28 August: Meeting with Iraqi Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri.
6 September: Al-Sharaa meets Arab ambassadors accredited in Damascus.
9 September: Meeting with Russian Deputy PM Alexander Novak.
12 September: President al-Sharaa and Mrs Latifa al-Droubi receive CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper and his wife, along with U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack.
17 September: Al-Sharaa meets Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin to discuss developments in the agreement with the SDF leadership.
October 2025 :
7 October: Meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack and CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper.
November 2025 :
19 November: Al-Sharaa meets World Bank MENA Vice President Ousmane Dione.
20 November 2025
Meeting with Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.
25 November: Al-Sharaa receives a U.S. congressional delegation led by Congressman Darin LaHood.
December 2025 :
1 December: Another meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack.
4 December: President al-Sharaa receives members of the UN Security Council and senior UN officials, in the presence of Syrian ministers.
A New Era for Syria
The era of isolation has ended, giving way to a period of openness and partnership. Every diplomatic aircraft that lands at Damascus International Airport bears witness to Syria turning a new page stepping into an era of balance, cooperation, and renewed engagement with the world. Each visit affirms that the sacrifices made were not in vain, and that the nation has emerged sovereign, extending its hand to all.
