Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa to Address UN General Assembly for First Time in Over 50 Years

Watan-Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa is scheduled to deliver his country’s address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this coming September, according to sources close to the new Syrian administration. This will mark the first time in over 50 years that a Syrian president participates in the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.

Former presidents of the now-deposed regime, Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad, never attended the sessions. Hafez held power from 1971 until his death in 2000, after which Bashar took over until he was ousted in December of last year.

The new Syrian leadership is seeking global recognition and economic support for the country’s reconstruction. Al-Sharaa’s upcoming U.S. trip represents a major diplomatic step, following recent visits to several regional countries and to France, where he held talks with President Emmanuel Macron. He also met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh.

Following their meeting in May, President Trump announced that the U.S. would lift sanctions on Syria to “give it a chance,” saying he made the decision after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Trump stated that Syria had suffered through war and that his administration had “taken the first step toward normalizing relations with Damascus,” expressing hope that the new Syrian government would succeed.

On Monday, the UN General Assembly elected former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as president of its upcoming 80th session. Following her election, Baerbock stressed that her presidency would adopt the theme “Better Together,” pledging an open-door policy and emphasizing unity in a world facing over 120 armed conflicts. She noted the importance of upholding the UN Charter amid global instability and vowed to focus on what unites nations, rather than divides them.