Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday met with Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharia, also known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, in a visit to Damascus, his first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Jolani took office as the head of the new Syrian administration after the rapid collapse of al-Assad’s regime last year. The Italian foreign minister held discussions with the Syrian leader and his foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani.

“Italy is ready to do its part to encourage the reform process in Syria,” Tajani said in Damascus, pointing out that Italy reopened its embassy in Damascus last year. “We want to be close to the Syrian people and support them in all areas.”

“We want to relaunch economic cooperation in crucial sectors. We want to be a bridge between the new Syria and the EU.”

The Italian minister spoke of cooperation between Syria and Italy in energy, infrastructure, and healthcare, and stressed that cultural collaborations between the two countries’ universities could be initiated.

“We also dwelt on the possibility of fighting human traffickers and drug traffickers,” Tajani said.

For his part, al-Shaibani said the longstanding sanctions imposed on Syria during the al-Assad years are a serious obstacle to the country’s recovery.

“We welcome the Italian foreign minister’s call for the lifting of sanctions against Syria,” he said, adding that the administration was working to bring Syrian citizens who fled the country’s conflict back home.

On Friday in Damascus, Tajani visited the Umayyad Mosque, one of the oldest and most imposing in the Muslim world. The site previously housed a Roman pagan temple, which was later transformed into a Christian church, and is one of the most significant examples of early Islamic architecture.

On his way back from Damascus, Tajani will also stop off in Beirut to meet the new Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, who was elected on Thursday, filling a political vacuum that had lasted over two years.

Relations between the EU and the new Syrian administration

Tajani visited Damascus on the heels of Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, and her French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, who travelledto Syria last week. Theirs was the first visit by EU diplomats since the end of al-Assad’s reign, and both ministers used it to insist on a peaceful transition of power.

Ahead of Friday’s visit to Damascus, Tajani presided over a meeting in Rome of foreign ministry officials from five countries — Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States — after speaking earlier by telephone with his counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The future of Syria was also the focus of Thursday’s meeting in Rome between the foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

“I welcomed the Partners at Villa Madama to take stock of the latest developments in Syria before leaving for Damascus,” Tajani wrote in a post on X.

“After the years of the regime, the Syrian people must be able to look forward to a future of peace, stability, and prosperity. Coordination and cohesion between our diplomats are strategic elements to achieve this shared goal.”

Kallas, meanwhile, wrote in a post of her own that the bloc “could gradually ease sanctions provided there is tangible progress”.

Video editor • Jerry Fisayo-Bambi

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday met with Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharia, also known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, in a visit to Damascus, his first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Jolani took office as the head of the new Syrian administration after the rapid collapse of al-Assad’s regime last year. The Italian foreign minister held discussions with the Syrian leader and his foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani.

“Italy is ready to do its part to encourage the reform process in Syria,” Tajani said in Damascus, pointing out that Italy reopened its embassy in Damascus last year. “We want to be close to the Syrian people and support them in all areas.”

“We want to relaunch economic cooperation in crucial sectors. We want to be a bridge between the new Syria and the EU.”

The Italian minister spoke of cooperation between Syria and Italy in energy, infrastructure, and healthcare, and stressed that cultural collaborations between the two countries’ universities could be initiated.

“We also dwelt on the possibility of fighting human traffickers and drug traffickers,” Tajani said.

For his part, al-Shaibani said the longstanding sanctions imposed on Syria during the al-Assad years are a serious obstacle to the country’s recovery.

“We welcome the Italian foreign minister’s call for the lifting of sanctions against Syria,” he said, adding that the administration was working to bring Syrian citizens who fled the country’s conflict back home.

On Friday in Damascus, Tajani visited the Umayyad Mosque, one of the oldest and most imposing in the Muslim world. The site previously housed a Roman pagan temple, which was later transformed into a Christian church, and is one of the most significant examples of early Islamic architecture.

On his way back from Damascus, Tajani will also stop off in Beirut to meet the new Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, who was elected on Thursday, filling a political vacuum that had lasted over two years.

Relations between the EU and the new Syrian administration

Tajani visited Damascus on the heels of Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, and her French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, who travelledto Syria last week. Theirs was the first visit by EU diplomats since the end of al-Assad’s reign, and both ministers used it to insist on a peaceful transition of power.

Ahead of Friday’s visit to Damascus, Tajani presided over a meeting in Rome of foreign ministry officials from five countries — Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States — after speaking earlier by telephone with his counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The future of Syria was also the focus of Thursday’s meeting in Rome between the foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

“I welcomed the Partners at Villa Madama to take stock of the latest developments in Syria before leaving for Damascus,” Tajani wrote in a post on X.

“After the years of the regime, the Syrian people must be able to look forward to a future of peace, stability, and prosperity. Coordination and cohesion between our diplomats are strategic elements to achieve this shared goal.”

Kallas, meanwhile, wrote in a post of her own that the bloc “could gradually ease sanctions provided there is tangible progress”.

Video editor • Jerry Fisayo-Bambi