Damascus, July 24 (SANA)The expected visit of United Nations Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterresto Damascus marks a significant milestone inSyria’s engagement with the UN, following a series of high-level visits and discussions since the liberation on December 8, 2024, covering political transition, economic recovery,transitional justiceand refugee returns.

The visit comes as Syria and the United Nations move toward a broader phase of cooperation, building on several key developments that have shaped relations between the two sides since the liberation.

The first major UN engagement after the liberation came days later, with visits by UN Special Envoy for SyriaGeir Pedersenand UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher to Damascus in December 2024.

The officials held talks with President Ahmad al-Sharaa and then Transitional Government Prime Minister Mohammad al-Bashir, emphasizing the importance of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition.

From Damascus, Pedersen and Fletcher also delivered a joint briefing to the UN Security Council, focusing on support for the political process and expanding humanitarian efforts.

The return of refugees and displaced Syrians became a key focus in Syria-UN relations, with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visiting Syria in January 2025.

During meetings with officials and residents returning to areas they had been displaced from by the deposed regime, Grandi reviewed recovery needs and called for international support to help Syrians rebuild their country and facilitate voluntary, safe and dignified returns.

Addressing the legacy of violations committed by the deposed regime became another central issue, with Karla Quintana, Head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria, visiting Damascus in February and July 2025.

The visits focused on cooperation mechanisms and technical support to protect the rights of families of missing persons.

The process continued with UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone briefing the Security Council from Damascus on July 21, 2026, saying engagement with the Syrian government on the political transition was making constructive progress that supported stability and confidence-building.

Syria strengthened its diplomatic engagement at the United Nations in 2025, with Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani participating in a Security Council session in New York on April 25, alongside the raising of Syria’s new flag at UN headquarters.

President Ahmadal-Sharaalater attended the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025, where he said Damascus had achieved a victory for the world by ending a 60-year system of oppression and had transformed from a country exporting crises into a historic opportunity for stability, peace and prosperity across the region.He also called for the complete lifting of sanctions, saying they should not become a tool to constrain the Syrian people or deprive them of their freedoms again.

During his visit to New York, President al-Sharaa also met with Guterres to discuss support for development, strengthening cooperation with the UN and reaffirming Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The anniversary of liberation from the deposed regime also saw representatives of all 15 UN Security Council members visit Syria — the first such visit since the council’s establishment in 1945 — in a move highlighting international support for Syria’s reconstruction efforts and the consolidation of sovereignty and stability.

Guterres’ upcoming visit to Damascus represents a major step inSyria-UN relationsand will be the first visit by a UN secretary-general to Syria since 2009.The UN said the visit was made at the invitation of the Syrian government. Guterres is expected to meet President al-Sharaa, the foreign minister and other officials, as well as representatives of civil society and women’s organizations. He will also visit the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) operating in the occupied Syrian Golan.The UN said Guterres will reaffirm support for the Syrian government and people during this critical stage, while stressing the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. The visit will also provide an opportunity to assess the challenges facing the country after years of war

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United NationsIbrahim Olabihas contributed to strengthening cooperation with the organization by presenting Damascus’ positions on transitional justice, missing persons, human rights, addressing the legacy of the deposed regime — including issues related to chemical weapons — and Israeli attacks on Syrian territory.

The developments reflect a shift in Syria-UN relations from focusing primarily on humanitarian response toward wider cooperation in reconstruction, recovery, transitional justice, refugee returns and support for state institutions.

Guterres’ visit is expected to reinforce this trajectory and mark a new phase of partnership between Syria and the United Nations focused on stability and development.