Ahmad al-Sharaa To Become 1st Syrian President To Attend UN Meet In 60 years

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Sunday to participate in the UN General Assembly, becoming the first Syrian head of state to attend in nearly six decades.

US President Donald Trump met with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May

Damascus:

The historic visit marks the first time since 1967 that a Syrian president has attended the General Assembly. This milestone follows the end of the Assad family's 50-year rule, which concluded in December when Bashar Assad was overthrown during an insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa, effectively ending nearly 14 years of civil war.

Since taking power, al-Sharaa has been working to rebuild diplomatic relationships with Arab nations and Western countries, though initial concerns existed regarding his previous connections to the al-Qaida terrorist organization. His former rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was previously designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

In his leadership role, al-Sharaa has advocated for coexistence and attempted to provide reassurances to Syria's minority communities. However, the nation's fragile recovery has been challenged by outbreaks of sectarian violence, with fighters associated with the new government accused of killing hundreds of civilians from the Druze and Alawite religious minorities.

During his UN General Assembly appearance, al-Sharaa is expected to advocate for further sanctions relief to help Syria rebuild its war-damaged economy and infrastructure. In May, President Trump met with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and announced the lifting of decades-long sanctions imposed during the Assad regime.

While Trump has ordered many sanctions lifted or waived, the most severe sanctions were enacted by Congress through the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 and would require congressional approval for permanent removal.

Another significant issue during al-Sharaa's visit will be Syria's relationship with Israel. Since Assad's fall, Israeli forces have seized a UN-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes against Syrian military targets.

Negotiations are underway for a security agreement that al-Sharaa hopes will result in Israeli forces withdrawing and a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement. Although al-Sharaa suggested last week that a deal could be reached soon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Sunday remarks indicated less optimism, stating there is "some progress" but the deal remains "still a vision for the future."

On Sunday, Syrian election officials announced that the country's first parliamentary elections since Assad's fall will take place on October 5. Rather than direct popular vote, an electoral college system will be used, with electoral bodies in each province selecting two-thirds of the seats, while al-Sharaa will directly appoint the remaining third.

Officials have explained that conducting direct elections currently would be logistically challenging, as many Syrians have lost personal documentation or are living abroad as refugees following the prolonged civil war.

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