After a fourteen-year hiatus, the EU has an Ambassador in Syria

On Sunday, 6 September 2026, the European Union marked a significant milestone in its relations with Syria, as Head of Delegation Ambassador Michael Ohnmacht presented his letter of credentials to President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the People's Palace in Damascus. With this ceremony, the EU is once again represented at the ambassadorial level in Syria for the first time since 2012, closing therefore a fourteen-year gap in full diplomatic ties.

In his remarks, Ambassador Ohnmacht highlighted the remarkable progress achieved in EU–Syria relations over the past eighteen months and underlined the significance of re-establishing full diplomatic ties after so long an interval. Additionally, he expressed his intention to work closely with the Syrian government to advance the establishment of an Association Agreement, as a new framework designed to further strengthen the partnership between the European Union and Syria.

The ceremony followed the earlier presentation, on 3 September, of a copy of the ambassador's credentials to Foreign Minister al-Shaibani. On that occasion, the Minister reaffirmed his commitment to advancing swiftly toward negotiations on the Association Agreement, describing it as instrumental to elevating Syria's relations with the EU, which he regarded as a privileged partner.

This formal accreditation follows a series of high-level EU engagements aimed at supporting Syria's political transition, its regional reintegration, and its economic recovery. It actively reflects a broader normalization and a deepening of the structured political dialogue between Brussels and Damascus, while sharing signals of ambition from both sides to build a renewed, forward-looking partnership in the period ahead.