New York: Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took power in Syria last December after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad, has become the first Syrian president in nearly six decades to attend the United Nations General Assembly, reported Madhyamam. The last such visit was in 1967, before the Assad family’s long rule.
Al-Sharaa’s appearance signals Syria’s attempt to re-engage with the world after years of war and isolation. Since assuming office, he has worked to rebuild ties with Arab states and Western powers, despite concerns about his past links to militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, once listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States.
His government still faces unrest, with minority groups such as the Druze and Alawites reporting sectarian violence. Internationally, al-Sharaa’s agenda includes pressing for relief from U.S. sanctions. While some restrictions were eased after his May meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 remains in force and requires Congress’s approval to lift.
Relations with Israel are another sensitive issue. Israel has carried out repeated strikes in Syria since Assad’s fall and taken control of a former UN-monitored buffer zone in the south. Talks are underway on a security agreement that could revive the 1974 disengagement accord, though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described any deal as distant.
At home, Syria prepares for October 5 parliamentary elections. Two-thirds of seats will be filled by an electoral college, while al-Sharaa will appoint the rest, an arrangement officials say is needed due to widespread displacement and loss of records.
