Paris, France (February 13, 2025) – Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani will attend an international conference in Paris on Thursday, as regional and Western powers seek to support the country’s fragile transition amid ongoing instability across the region. This marks al-Shibani’s first trip to the European Union since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, following an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to Syria’s UN-sanctioned President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Aims of the Paris Conference
The Paris meeting aims to create a “protective bubble” around the Syria crisis, allowing time for resolution by deterring destabilizing actors, according to a French official. Regional ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Lebanon will join Western partners, although the United States will have only a low-level diplomatic presence.
The conference seeks to coordinate efforts to ensure Syria’s sovereignty and security, mobilize aid and economic support, and discuss transitional justice and the fight against impunity. While the conference does not aim to raise funds, issues such as the lifting of sanctions will be discussed.
Sanctions and Humanitarian Concerns
The European Union has moved forward in lifting some sanctions, though opposition from Cyprus and Greece remains due to concerns over maritime delimitation talks between Syria and Turkey. Diplomats are hopeful a compromise can be reached this month.
International donors will also assess the humanitarian situation, particularly in northeastern Syria, where U.S. aid cuts have had a “terrifying” impact, according to a European official.
Key Issues on the Agenda
The conference will address the involvement of Western-backed Kurdish Syrian forces, the central government, and Turkey, which considers part of those forces as terrorist groups. Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz will emphasize the threats Syria faces from separatist terrorist organizations and Turkey’s determination to eliminate terror elements from the country.
As Syria navigates its transition, the international community remains focused on supporting a peaceful and stable future for the nation.