The Security Council Delegation Arrives in Damascus for Its First Official Visit to Syria
December 4, 20251694 ViewsRead Time: 2 Minutes
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In a historic first for the United Nations Security Council's visits to Syria, a delegation comprising representatives from the fifteen member states arrived in the capital, Damascus, on December 4, 2025, nearly a year after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The delegation entered Syrian territory through the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon, where they met with several Syrian officials, led by President Ahmad al-Shara. Lebanon is set to be the second stop on their regional tour.
Upon arrival, the Security Council delegation headed to the Jobar neighborhood, one of the most affected areas during the years of war surrounding the capital, to assess the extent of the destruction inflicted on residential areas and infrastructure.
The visit comes at a time when the United Nations is seeking to re-establish its presence in Syria, following a recent Security Council decision to lift sanctions imposed on Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, amid a new political phase the country is experiencing.
In a press conference held last Monday, Slovenian Ambassador to the United Nations Samuel Žbogar, whose country holds the presidency of the Security Council this month, stated that this tour represents "the first official visit of the Security Council to the Middle East in six years, and the first ever to Syria."
He added that the visit comes "at a critical time," pointing to the efforts made by Syrian authorities to solidify the new phase in the country, alongside the challenges still faced in stabilizing the ceasefire that has been in place for a year in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
It is noteworthy that Syria is preparing to commemorate the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, while the new authorities focus on reconstruction efforts and attempts to revive an economy that has been severely damaged by 14 years of conflict.
The delegation entered Syrian territory through the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon, where they met with several Syrian officials, led by President Ahmad al-Shara. Lebanon is set to be the second stop on their regional tour.
Upon arrival, the Security Council delegation headed to the Jobar neighborhood, one of the most affected areas during the years of war surrounding the capital, to assess the extent of the destruction inflicted on residential areas and infrastructure.
The visit comes at a time when the United Nations is seeking to re-establish its presence in Syria, following a recent Security Council decision to lift sanctions imposed on Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, amid a new political phase the country is experiencing.
In a press conference held last Monday, Slovenian Ambassador to the United Nations Samuel Žbogar, whose country holds the presidency of the Security Council this month, stated that this tour represents "the first official visit of the Security Council to the Middle East in six years, and the first ever to Syria."
He added that the visit comes "at a critical time," pointing to the efforts made by Syrian authorities to solidify the new phase in the country, alongside the challenges still faced in stabilizing the ceasefire that has been in place for a year in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
It is noteworthy that Syria is preparing to commemorate the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, while the new authorities focus on reconstruction efforts and attempts to revive an economy that has been severely damaged by 14 years of conflict.
