United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has arrived in Syria for the first time since taking office in 2017. He also becomes the first UN Secretary-General to visit the country since 2009.
As part of a three-day visit, Guterres arrived in the Syrian capital, Damascus, where he was welcomed at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.
During his visit, Guterres is scheduled to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, senior government officials, and representatives of Syrian civil society. He is also expected to address the Syrian Parliament on Monday and visit the UN peacekeeping force stationed in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria.
First UN Secretary-General Visit in 17 Years
Guterres is the first UN Secretary-General to visit Syria since 2009 and the first to do so since assuming office in 2017.
The last UN Secretary-General to visit Syria was Ban Ki-moon, who traveled to the country in 2009 during his tenure.