Syria's President Faces Tough Test in Turning Global Goodwill into Reality
In a stunning display of unity, all 15 members of the UN security council gathered in Damascus last week to mark the anniversary of the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The gesture is seen as a remarkable moment of goodwill towards Syria's rebirth under its new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Since taking office on January 29, 2025, Sharaa has made a total of 21 public international trips to 13 countries, including a visit to the UN general assembly and the climate change conference in Brazil.
While this outpouring of support may seem like a victory for the Syrian president, the real test lies in translating global goodwill into tangible results on the ground. Sharaa's administration faces significant challenges, including lifting sanctions, restoring internal stability, and winning the trust of his own people.
Gulf investment has poured in, with Saudi Arabia promising over $6 billion in investments. Qatar is also helping to revive the oil and gas industry. However, these efforts are contingent on Sharaa continuing on a path of internal reconciliation and trust-building, far removed from his extremist past.
The US, under President Donald Trump, has pledged its support for Syria's rebirth. Trump has promised to visit Damascus soon and has even met with Sharaa three times, including a critical meeting in the White House. While this may seem like a positive development, Trump's willingness to overlook Sharaa's controversial history raises concerns.
One of the most striking aspects of Sharaa's meetings is his ability to connect with world leaders despite his checkered past. His interview with Gen David Petraeus, the former CIA director and retired army general, was notable for its warmth and civility. Sharaa demonstrated a willingness to reject the rules of the past and forge a new path forward.
However, external pressures continue to hamper Sharaa's efforts. Israel remains convinced that Islamists are preparing terrorist attacks in southern Syria, while Turkey is impatient to see the Syrian Kurdish fighters integrated into the Syrian army. The US has urged both countries to be patient, but it seems increasingly clear that the stability of Syria hangs by a thread.
As the international community continues to support Sharaa's administration, the real test lies in delivering on its promises. Can the Syrian president translate global goodwill into tangible results for his people? Only time will tell.
In a stunning display of unity, all 15 members of the UN security council gathered in Damascus last week to mark the anniversary of the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The gesture is seen as a remarkable moment of goodwill towards Syria's rebirth under its new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Since taking office on January 29, 2025, Sharaa has made a total of 21 public international trips to 13 countries, including a visit to the UN general assembly and the climate change conference in Brazil.
While this outpouring of support may seem like a victory for the Syrian president, the real test lies in translating global goodwill into tangible results on the ground. Sharaa's administration faces significant challenges, including lifting sanctions, restoring internal stability, and winning the trust of his own people.
Gulf investment has poured in, with Saudi Arabia promising over $6 billion in investments. Qatar is also helping to revive the oil and gas industry. However, these efforts are contingent on Sharaa continuing on a path of internal reconciliation and trust-building, far removed from his extremist past.
The US, under President Donald Trump, has pledged its support for Syria's rebirth. Trump has promised to visit Damascus soon and has even met with Sharaa three times, including a critical meeting in the White House. While this may seem like a positive development, Trump's willingness to overlook Sharaa's controversial history raises concerns.
One of the most striking aspects of Sharaa's meetings is his ability to connect with world leaders despite his checkered past. His interview with Gen David Petraeus, the former CIA director and retired army general, was notable for its warmth and civility. Sharaa demonstrated a willingness to reject the rules of the past and forge a new path forward.
However, external pressures continue to hamper Sharaa's efforts. Israel remains convinced that Islamists are preparing terrorist attacks in southern Syria, while Turkey is impatient to see the Syrian Kurdish fighters integrated into the Syrian army. The US has urged both countries to be patient, but it seems increasingly clear that the stability of Syria hangs by a thread.
As the international community continues to support Sharaa's administration, the real test lies in delivering on its promises. Can the Syrian president translate global goodwill into tangible results for his people? Only time will tell.
the $6 billion from saudi arabia is a big help tho, hopefully that cash flows into reviving syria's economy and getting ppl back on their feet 
21 public international trips in like 2 months is crazy talk! i mean yeah some of it is nice that the world is showing some love to syria and al-sharaa's new admin but come on, has he actually done any real work yet? 
i'm not hating or anything, just wanna see some results 
! It's amazing to see all 15 UN security council members coming together to show their support for President al-Sharaa's efforts to rebuild the country 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to invest in a place with such rich history and culture? The $6 billion from Saudi Arabia is huge 
and Qatar's help to revive the oil and gas industry could be game-changing.
. I love how he showed up to that interview with Gen Petraeus - so calm and collected 
. And it's great that the US is supporting him, even if there are some concerns about Trump's willingness to look over his shoulder.
. The international community is behind him, so it's time for him to take action 
. 21 trips already and counting. Wonder if he'll actually make a difference on the ground tho 
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. Like, can we really trust him after all those controversies? And on top of that, Israel and Turkey are still being super stubborn. It feels like there's just so much to unpack in this situation... I mean, Sharaa's been out there making a ton of trips trying to build relationships with world leaders, but is it actually working? 
Does he really have the trust of his own people yet? 
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THEY JUST NEED TO GET THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER AND START WORKING ON LIFTING SANCTIONS AND RESTORING INFRASTRUCTURE INSTEAD OF JUST TALKING ABOUT IT EVERYWHERE!!! 
! he's like, makin a effort to rebuild relations & stuff. but at the same time, ppl need 2 see real progress on the ground, not just empty promises 
. the sanctions liftin up is gonna b big, tho! 
. and idk about trump visitin damascus soon... i mean, thats a weird move 
and it's awesome to see world leaders like gen david petraeus giving him a warm welcome 
sharaa's really showing us that he's committed to change and leaving his extremist past behind 
i mean i'm glad they're getting all that international attention and stuff but at the end of the day it's gonna take more than just good vibes to fix the country 
and let's be real, trump's involvement in this is super sketchy 
he's got a history of being pretty racist and xenophobic, so it's not like he's exactly the best example of international cooperation 
. We can't just ignore his extremist views and hope everything works out 
. I'm not saying it's impossible for people to change, but it feels like he needs to work way harder to prove himself.
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It's not like we've seen that playbook before. The fact that he's been racking up all these international trips is cute, but it's gonna take more than just a few smiles and handshakes to fix the mess he made in Syria 