German Foreign Minister Visits Damascus as Part of Middle East Tour

German Foreign Minister Johann Fadvol begins an official visit to Damascus on Thursday as part of a Middle East tour that also includes Jordan, Bahrain, and Lebanon, according to Agence France-Presse.

During his visit, Fadvol is scheduled to meet with representatives of Syria’s transitional government, including Transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa — marking the first visit by a senior German official to Syria in more than a decade.

Before departing Berlin, the German minister stated, “The end of Assad’s dictatorship has opened the door to a new era in Syria, and we now want to support Syrians in shaping their own future.” He reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Syria’s path toward stability and reform.

In a statement, the German Foreign Ministry said that Syria “faces enormous challenges and needs a government that ensures all citizens — regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, or social background — can live in dignity and safety.”

The statement emphasized that Syria’s geographic location makes it “a direct neighbor to the European Union,” noting that “everything that happens there has both direct and indirect consequences for Europe — and especially for Germany.”

The ministry added that Syria’s stability represents a shared European and German interest, stressing: “We want to see Syria’s economy recover as soon as possible to enable a gradual return to normal life and the resumption of economic and developmental relations.”