Damascus, July.16 (SANA) Syrian-German relations have undergone rapid development following Syria’s liberation on December 8, 2024, with the two countries moving in less than two years from renewed diplomatic and political engagement to building a broad economic and institutional partnership.
Restoration of diplomatic relations
Germany emerged among the first European countries to restore contacts with Syria’s new leadership following the liberation of Syria. Berlin dispatched envoys to Damascus in December 2024, followed on January 3, 2025, by a high-level European visit led by then German’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, accompanied by the French foreign minister.
The visit conveyed Germany’s readiness to inaugurate a new chapter in bilateral relations while supporting Syria’s stability and reconstruction.
These efforts culminated in the resumption of operations of the German Embassy in Damascus on March 20, 2025, after a closure lasting 13 years, marking the transition from political coordination to a direct diplomatic presence. Syria subsequently reopened its Consulate General in Bonn and appointed a chargé d’affaires in Berlin.
Expanding political dialogue; bilateral relations gained further momentum throughout 2026
Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shibani met a senior German delegation headed by Alexander Eberl, Deputy National Security Adviser, with discussions focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation and regional developments.
Al-Shibani’s participation in the Munich Security Conference further strengthened bilateral engagement through meetings with German officials on regional security and cooperation.
A major milestone came on March 29, 2026, when President Ahmad al-Sharaa made the first official visit by a Syrian president to Germany in nearly five decades.
During talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, both sides focused on enhancing economic relations, supporting reconstruction projects, expanding cooperation in energy, investment and infrastructure, and discussing the issue of Syrian refugees.
The visit resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and two agreements covering the energy and civil aviation sectors during a meeting attended by representatives of major German companies.
President al-Sharaa also met members of the Syrian community in Germany, highlighting their role in transferring expertise and contributing to Syria’s reconstruction.
Advancing economic partnership
The new phase reflects a strategic shift toward deepening economic cooperation.
Both sides emphasized encouraging German companies to invest in Syria while benefiting from Germany’s technological and industrial expertise across the energy, transport, digital transformation and infrastructure sectors.
They also agreed to strengthen the contribution of Syrian professionals and expatriates living in Germany—estimated at more than one million people—as a human and economic bridge between the two countries.
The two governments further explored circular migration initiatives aimed at enabling Syrian professionals abroad to contribute to national recovery and reconstruction.
In follow-up discussions after the Berlin summit, Foreign Minister al-Shibani and German Minister of State and Deputy Foreign Minister Serap Güler discussed activating the Syrian-German Business Council and expanding private-sector investment between the two countries.
Germany’s support for economic recovery and lifting of sanctions
Since 2025, Germany has supported lifting European and international economic sanctions imposed on Syria, arguing that easing restrictions would allow Syrians to lead their own recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Berlin has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Syria’s economic stabilization and expanding bilateral cooperation.
German officials have repeatedly stressed that Syria’s strategic geographic location positions it to become a logistics hub linking the Gulf with Europe, emphasizing that Syria’s stability serves the shared interests of both Europe and the wider region.
In this context, German Chargé d’Affaires in Damascus Clemens Hach described President al-Sharaa’s visit to Berlin as a historic milestone that inaugurated a new era of strong bilateral relations.
Institutionalizing cooperation
The latest milestone came with the inaugural meeting of the Syrian-German Joint Committee, held in Damascus on Thursday under the co-chairmanship of Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and German Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Dr. Gesa Andreas von Geyr.
The committee formally moved bilateral relations beyond political dialogue toward a comprehensive institutional partnership spanning a wide range of sectors.
A/Dh
