Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is set to deliver a speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next month, a senior foreign ministry official confirmed to AFP on Monday. It will mark the first address by a Syrian head of state to the assembly in decades.
The official, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to brief the press, stated: “Sharaa will take part in the United Nations General Assembly in New York where he will deliver a speech.”
Sharaa assumed leadership in December, after his Islamist movement led a coalition of forces that toppled former president Bashar al-Assad, ending nearly 14 years of protracted civil war.
The upcoming speech carries historic significance:
- He will be the first Syrian president to address the UN since former president Nureddin al-Atassi in 1967.
- He will also be the first Syrian leader ever to participate in the UNGA’s high-level week, scheduled for 22–30 September.
Since assuming power, Syria’s new leadership has made notable strides in re-establishing both regional and international recognition.
developments include:
| Date | Event |
| December 2024 | Ahmed al-Sharaa assumes power after fall of Bashar al-Assad. |
| April 2025 | Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani addresses UN for the first time and raises Syria’s new flag at UN headquarters in New York. |
| May 2025 | Sharaa meets US President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia. |
| May 2025 | Sharaa visits Paris, meeting French President Emmanuel Macron in his first Western trip. |
Despite his growing visibility, Ahmed al-Sharaa remains under UN sanctions and a travel ban due to his past as a wanted jihadist. As such, he must request exemptions for all foreign visits, including the forthcoming UN trip.
