France seeks larger role in Syria as Shara visits Paris

Syria’s transitional President Ahmed Shara is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today.

According to a report from Reuters, Shara received special travel permission from the United Nations despite being on a sanctions list due to his leadership of HTS.

French officials indicated that discussions would cover ensuring Syria’s sovereignty and security, the status of minorities following recent attacks on Alawites and Druze, efforts to combat ISIS, and coordinating economic support, including humanitarian aid and the potential easing of sanctions.

An official from the Elysee Palace commented, “Given the significant challenges Syria faces, it is clear that support is anticipated from France and other international partners.” The official also stressed that Paris is not overlooking Shara’s past jihadist affiliations and that its demands regarding the transition process remain unchanged.

France, which severed diplomatic ties with the Assad regime in 2012, welcomed its collapse and began fostering relations with the transitional government. President Macron recently held a trilateral video conference with Shara and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Last month, Paris took a preliminary step towards reopening its embassy in Damascus by appointing a chargé d’affaires with a small diplomatic team.

Separately, a Reuters report noted that as the US began its withdrawal from the region and the new Syrian leadership sought to consolidate control under Damascus, France acted as a mediator between Shara and the SDF.

An official from the French presidency confirmed that consultations with Washington are ongoing concerning the US withdrawal process and France’s potential to assume a more prominent role in the region.

The World Bank estimates the cost of Syria’s reconstruction will exceed $250 billion. The Shara administration urgently requires sanctions relief to revitalize the economy, severely damaged by 14 years of conflict. The US, EU, and UK had imposed stringent economic sanctions on the Assad regime.

Syria hopes the EU will not renew these sanctions. Renewal requires the unanimous agreement of all 27 member states. However, options such as a limited extension or the removal of certain key entities, like the Central Bank of Syria, from the list are also being considered.

The Elysee official stated, “One of the primary obstacles is the presence of US sanctions, which hinder the transitional government’s ability to engage in reconstruction and attract foreign investment.”