Full Breakdown
UN Secretary-General António Guterres Calls for Global Support During First Damascus Visit Since 2009
7/25/2026, 9:10:58 PM
Core Event – Guterres’s Three-Day Solidarity Mission
- On July 25 2026, António Guterres arrived in Damascus for a three-day visit, the first by a UN secretary-general to the Syrian capital since 2009. He met interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, toured the old city and the Umayyad Mosque, inspected the UN peacekeeping contingent in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights buffer zone, and visited the Saydnaya military prison.
Background & Context
- Syria’s civil war began in March 2011 and caused more than half a million deaths. The Assad family’s five-decade rule ended in December 2024 when forces loyal to interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa seized Damascus. The new Islamist-led authorities have faced crippling Western sanctions and a fragile political transition.
Data & Statistics
- The United Nations estimates 90 % of Syria’s population lives in poverty.
- The World Bank projects reconstruction costs at roughly $216 billion.
- UN figures indicate about 1.9 million internally displaced persons and 1.7 million refugees have returned, while 5.5 million people remain displaced inside Syria and six million remain abroad.
- An estimated 15.6 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance.
Official Statements & Responses
- He stressed that violations of Syrian sovereignty, especially around the Golan Heights, are “totally unacceptable” and must cease.
- Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa expressed no desire for conflict with Israel.
- Israel maintains a “security zone” in southern Syria and has continued airstrikes and incursions into Syrian territory, actions the UN described as unacceptable.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I have just arrived in Damascus for a visit of solidarity. My message is clear: The UN stands with Syria at this pivotal moment and I appeal to the international community to spare no effort to support the people of Syria as well,” — General António Guterres, united nations secretary
- “What is happening in the region around the Golan Heights is totally unacceptable,” — General António Guterres, united nations secretary
- “We underscore the importance of fully respecting Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity,” — General António Guterres, united nations secretary
- “We will maintain firmly our position and our strong advocacy for the international community to recognize that what is Syrian is Syrian, and cannot be taken away,” — General António Guterres, united nations secretary
- “We are ready to support your political transition, including your efforts to ensure transitional justice, draft a permanent constitution, and hold free and fair elections,” — General António Guterres, united nations secretary
- “Syria is today the pillar of stability of the Middle East,” — General António Guterres, united nations secretary
