Khaberni - Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar` is visiting Germany for an anticipated meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, next Monday, at the Chancellor's Headquarters in Berlin, as announced by the government spokesman Stefan Cornelius on Friday.
This is the first visit of al-Shar` to Germany since he assumed power in Damascus, following the fall of the previous regime in late 2024.
The visit was originally scheduled for last January, but the Syrian side requested its postponement due to its coincidence with a military escalation between the Syrian government forces and Kurdish factions, which later ended with an agreement between the two sides.
It is worth noting that al-Shar` had previously conducted several international tours including the United States and France.
Cornelius explained that the Syrian president will participate in an economic forum during his visit, bringing together representatives from the Syrian government and top officials in the business sector, to discuss ways for economic recovery and the reconstruction of Syria.
He pointed out that the prolonged conflict in Syria has caused tremendous damage to its economic infrastructure, exacerbating poverty levels and significantly raising the costs of reconstruction.
The news about al-Shar`’s anticipated visit last January sparked widespread criticism among the Syrian community in Germany, where a joint statement signed by both the "Alawite Union in Europe" and the "Kurdish Community in Germany" called for issuing an arrest warrant against him instead of welcoming him at the Chancellor's Office, referring to his organizational past and the controversy surrounding his leadership.
