Brussels, 9 May (SANA) The European Union (EU) announced that it will hold two high-level meetings with the Syrian government next Monday in Brussels, Belgium. The meetings aim to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss ways to support social and economic recovery, reconstruction, and achieving long-term stability in Syria.
The EU’s Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf stated in a press release published on its official website on Friday that these meetings come within the framework of a new chapter in relations and cooperation with Syria, as demonstrated by the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa to Damascus last January.
The Directorate affirmed that Syria is currently paving the way towards reconciliation and recovery, emphasizing the European Union’s readiness to support this path through a new cooperation framework. The meeting scheduled for next Monday represents a significant step in this direction.
Partnership Coordination Forum with Syria
According to the statement, the Partnership Coordination Forum with Syria will convene on Monday morning to unify international efforts in the areas of aid, reconstruction, and development. The meeting will be co-chaired by Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, with the participation of high-level representatives from member states, the G7, Arab states, the United Nations, and major financial institutions.
High-Level Political Dialogue
The Directorate added that this will be followed by the first High-Level Political Dialogue between Syria and the EU, co-chaired by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and Minister al-Shaibani, with the participation of the Commissioner for the Mediterranean and Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib.
The Directorate noted that this dialogue “represents a strategic shift from crisis response to a long-term partnership, built on a shared vision of stability and prosperity, and an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to a peaceful and inclusive transition that meets the aspirations of all Syrians and ensures long-term stability and prosperity for the country and the region as a whole.””
Ohnmacht: Dialogue Reflects Cooperation Between Syria and EU
In this context, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Syria, Michael Ohnmacht, stated today via the “X” platform that the convening of the high-level political dialogue between Syria and the EU reflects the continued engagement and cooperation between the two sides on key issues, including recovery, reconstruction, and support for the transitional phase in Syria.
The dialogue between Syria and the EU comes within the framework of the ongoing and positive developments between the two sides, President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visits to several European countries, his participation in the informal meeting of the European Union and regional partners in Cyprus last month, his meetings with a number of European officials, and the visits of the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission to Syria last December.
