Al-Sharaa Visits Germany to Discuss Reconstruction and the Refugee Issue

SadaNews - Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is conducting a series of meetings in Germany today, Monday, during his first visit to the country, addressing the war with Iran, the reconstruction of Syria, and the return of Syrian refugees, amid German efforts to facilitate the return of some of them to their homeland.

According to German official sources, al-Sharaa is expected to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in what is his first visit to Germany since the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

This move comes as part of al-Sharaa's efforts to establish relations with Western governments, having conducted several foreign visits recently, including to the United States, France, and Russia.

Last year, several international sanctions were lifted from Syria in a move aimed at supporting reconstruction efforts after a 14-year conflict that resulted in widespread destruction in the country.

German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius stated that the upcoming talks between Merz and al-Sharaa will address developments in the war in the Middle East, the political situation in Syria, as well as reconstruction efforts and the return of Syrians to their homeland.

In Berlin, al-Sharaa is also participating in a political and investment forum discussing "prospects for economic recovery and reconstruction in Syria," according to a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry, who noted that "the foundations for economic recovery were laid following the lifting of many European and international sanctions after the end of the Assad family's regime."

Prior to the visit, the German Ministry of the Interior announced a new initiative to support the Syrian Disaster Management Ministry, which includes contributing to the training of emergency response agencies.

Regarding the case of German journalist Eva Maria Michlmann, who is missing in Syria, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry explained, in response to a question about the possibility of raising the issue during the meetings, that Berlin is "considering the matter."

Approximately one million Syrians have migrated to Germany in recent years, with a significant number arriving during the peak of the refugee influx between 2015 and 2016, following the outbreak of the war in 2011 due to the Assad regime's crackdown on protests.

Since taking office last May, Chancellor Merz, who is from the conservative bloc, has intensified efforts to curb irregular migration in light of his aim to confront the rise of the far-right "Alternative for Germany" party.

Merz had stated last year that with the end of the war in Syria, Syrians no longer had "any justification for seeking asylum in Germany," reflecting a political trend to reduce the number of refugees.

In this context, the German government resumed deportations of individuals involved in criminal cases to Syria last December, although these actions have so far applied to a limited number of cases.

Merz also confirmed that a large number of Syrians are expected to voluntarily return to their homeland, which sparked criticism from activists who believe that conditions in Syria remain unstable, pointing to ongoing human rights violations.

Al-Sharaa's visit to Germany was scheduled for January but was postponed at that time due to his involvement in efforts to halt fighting between the Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the north of the country.

In Berlin, a protest was held against plans to return refugees to Syria, under the slogan "No to deportation agreements with human rights violators," reflecting the growing internal debate in Germany over this policy.