German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is set to make his first visit to Syria on Thursday to meet President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and senior members of the new government, according to AFP.
Accompanied by a delegation from the German parliament, Wadephul will hold talks with Al-Sharaa and his Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani before resuming his regional tour to Lebanon and Bahrain.
“With the overthrow of the Assad dictatorship, the people of Syria have entered a new era,” Wadephul said in a statement released by his ministry.
Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, the country has been led by Al-Sharaa who has been attempting to rebuild Syria’s relations with international community after a brutal civil war that tore Syria apart.
In recent months, Damascus have warmed relation with several countries around the world with the United States lifting sanctions and European powers advancing closer ties.
“Syria faces immense challenges,” Wadephul said.
However, Syria is still struggling with internal clashes between different ethnic groups.
“It needs a government that guarantees all citizens, regardless of gender, religious, ethnic or social affiliation, a life of dignity and security,” he added.
Deportation to Syria
Germany is currently a haven for hundreds of thousands of Syrians who left Syria during the civil war.
“Many have not only found protection here, but also a new home,” Wadephul said.
He also noted that some of the Syrian community in his country are considering returning to Syria to rebuild their country.
“I would like to deepen this special relationship between our countries together with our partners in Syria,” he added.
Recently, German authorities have sought to resume deportations to Syria amid Berlin’s attempts to tighten migration policies due to the rise of the far-right AfD.
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