Macron will visit Syria as the first Western leader since Assad’s ouster, Damascus says
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Syria soon, Syrian state media said Sunday, making him the first Western leader to arrive in the country since the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
Macron hosted Syrian President Ahmed Al Shara The former Islamist leader, who seized power in Paris and Damascus in May 2025, European Union and the US lifting crippling sanctions on Syria, Most have been removed.
The French presidential palace did not comment on Macon’s trip to Syria on Sunday.
Syria’s state-run SANA news agency, citing Al Shara’s office, did not provide details on when Macron would visit. But will attend A NATO summit will be held in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday.
SANA said Macron will be accompanied by investors and representatives of French companies.
The 14-year-long conflict in Syria has killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions. Syria’s infrastructure is in ruins, and while other countries and businesses have made major investment commitments, the country still needs hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild and lift millions out of poverty.
