Guterres calls for international aid for Syria at a 'turning point'

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called on the international community to provide aid to Syria, which he said is at a "turning point" following a devastating civil war.

"I have just arrived in Damascus for a visit of solidarity. My message is clear: The United Nations stands with Syria at this turning point, and I also call on the international community to spare no effort in supporting the Syrian people," Guterres posted on X.

Guterres arrived in Syria in the morning, according to the official SANA news agency, to show support for the political transition in a country shattered by more than 13 years of war. The trip marks the first visit by a U.N. secretary-general to Syria since Ban Ki-moon visited in 2009. It comes after the fall at the end of 2024 of President Bashar Assad, who was overthrown by a coalition of rebel forces.

International concern

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed Guterres and his delegation at Damascus International Airport, SANA reported.

"The opportunity presented today is not only to rise from the conflict, but also to lay the foundations for a future for Syria marked by more stability, inclusivity and prosperity for all Syrians," said U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. He added that "the United Nations' role is to accompany and support the Syrian people on this journey."

During the visit, which is scheduled through Monday, Guterres is expected to meet President Ahmad al-Sharaa as well as representatives of civil society, women's organizations and various ethnic and religious communities.

Key period

Since taking power, al-Sharaa has broken with his extremist past and, in September, became the first Syrian president since Nureddin al-Atassi in 1967 to address the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The international community has continually urged the new authorities to build strong institutions and establish inclusive governance.

The country witnessed massacres of Alawites, the minority group to which Assad belongs, in March 2025, as well as clashes with Druze fighters that same year.

Claudio Cordone, the U.N. deputy special envoy for Syria, said Tuesday that Guterres would "reaffirm the United Nations' commitment to support the Syrian government and the Syrian people during this key period for Syria's history." The U.N. chief is also expected to meet with U.N. peacekeepers deployed in a buffer zone on the Golan Heights since 1974.

Following the fall of Assad, Israel sent troops into the buffer zone. Israel has since conducted repeated incursions and airstrikes in Syrian territory and declared an intent to establish a demilitarized zone in the south of the country.

Syria's infrastructure was severely damaged during the 2011–2024 civil war. The World Bank estimates reconstruction costs will exceed $216 billion.

Several senior U.N. officials have visited Syria since Assad's fall, including High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, alongside a delegation of U.N. Security Council ambassadors who visited last December.