The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, landed this Saturday in Syria to carry out a visit considered historic, as it is the first trip of a top UN official to the country since 2009, before the outbreak of the civil war.
According to the Syrian state agency SANA, the Foreign Minister, Asaad al Shaibani, welcomed Guterres and the delegation accompanying him at the international airport in Damascus, located in the capital.
During his stay, the UN leader plans to support the transition process opened in Syria, in a three-day visit that comes more than a year after the new authorities, led by Ahmed al Shara, deposed former President Bashar al Assad.
With this trip, Guterres becomes the first Secretary-General of the United Nations to set foot on Syrian territory since Ban Ki Moon's visit in 2009. Since Al Shara came to power, the international community has called on the current government to promote strong and operational institutions and to implement a governance model that integrates all sectors of Syrian society, with special attention to the representation of minorities.
The spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, emphasized that the goal goes beyond overcoming more than thirteen years of armed conflict and involves "laying the foundations for a more stable and inclusive future for all Syrians."
In this regard, he stressed that throughout the trip, Guterres will reaffirm "the role of the United Nations," which is to "accompany and assist the Syrian people" in achieving their aspirations.