After the fall of the Assad regime
The Syrian people experienced unspeakable hardship for many years. Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, an interim government is now responsible for leading the country towards sustainable peace.
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Almost 14 years of civil war have plunged Syria into a humanitarian crisis.
Photo: picture alliance / abaca /Ugur Yildirim/DIA Images
- The future must be determined by all Syrians
- EU eases sanctions on Syria
- What the Federal Government is doing on the diplomatic front
- Initial talks with HTS representatives
- What the Federal Government is doing on the humanitarian front
It is still uncertain how things will continue following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that it was good news, nonetheless: “Syria’s President Assad spent more than a decade brutally oppressing his own people. He is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and forced millions of people to flee.”
The Syrian civil war between the Assad regime and a number of opposition groups started in 2011. It gave rise to one of the world’s worst humanitarian and refugee crises. On 8 December 2024, fighters of the Islamist militant group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) captured Damascus after almost 14 years, putting an end to Bashar al-Assad’s longstanding rule. Large parts of the country are now controlled by an interim government. In a phone call with interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, Federal Chancellor Scholz congratulated the Syrian people on its victory over the Assad regime’s reign of terror.
The future must be determined by all Syrians
The Federal Government endorses Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The future of the country must be determined by all Syrians regardless of their ethnic background, religion orgender, and free of any destabilisation attempts from abroad. Together with international partners and based on the United Nations Security Council’s resolutions, Germany will contribute to ensuring an orderly and peaceful transition process and an eventual political resolution of the conflict.
The Federal Government is very concerned about the latest developments and the violence against the Alawites. There have been shocking reports of civilians and prisoners being murdered. The Federal Government strongly condemns the outbreak of violence in the Tartous, Latakia and Homs regions and urges all parties involved to put an end to the violence. The civilian population must be protected. Safety and security in Syria and the way in which members of minority groups are treated are crucial to the country’s future.
Kanzler kompakt
EU eases sanctions on Syria
As of 24 February, the EU has suspended its economic sanctions on Syria for the time being. These apply to the banking, energy and transport sectors in particular. By taking this step, the EU member states seek to promote relations with Syria, its people and its businesses. The EU Foreign Ministers agreed to ease the EU’s sanctions on Syria on 27 January. The Federal Government was involved in this decision and it expressly welcomed the planned relaxation of sanctions aiming to enable Syria to take its first steps towards recovery.
The sanctions imposed on the homicidal Assad clan and its henchmen remain in force, however. “Crimes must be investigated and offenders must be held accountable. We Europeans – and us Germans in particular – are making contributions in this area, too,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock.
What the Federal Government is doing on the diplomatic front
The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the Syrian people can live in peace and security. Federal Chancellor Scholz, Minister of Foreign Affairs Baerbock, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze and other members of the Federal Government are having numerous discussions with Germany’s international and regional partners to this end.
“If we want to ensure a peaceful transfer of power – and this is something we have agreed on with partners in the region in particular – it is essential that the rights of all ethnic and religious groups in the country are taken into account,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Baerbock stressed. She added that this dialogue process for Syria was not to be undermined from the inside or the outside.
Initial talks with HTS representatives
Federal Chancellor Scholz and Minister of Foreign Affairs Baerbock have highlighted repeatedly that the Federal Government is willing to cooperate with an interim government. However, they also stressed that this was only an option if fundamental human rights and the protection of ethnic and religious minority groups were ensured.
HTS emerged from the Al-Nusra Front, which was the Syrian branch of the terrorist network Al-Qaeda. The United Nations and the European Union classify HTS as a terrorist organisation.
About a week after the fall of the Assad regime, representatives of the Federal Government met with the HTS leader and further representatives of Syria’s interim government for the first time. The meeting took place in Damascus and focused on the political transition process in Syria. The German delegation also met with representatives of the civil society and religious groups.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Baerbock presented her eight-point plan aiming to achieve stability in Syria, promote the country’s reconstruction and enable refugees to safely return.
What the Federal Government is doing on the humanitarian front
“The humanitarian situation in Syria is catastrophic,” said Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze, adding that large parts of the country were devastated after almost 14 years of civil war. Schulze pointed out that around 90 percent of the population were living in poverty and were dependent on aid. This is why the Federal Government has been making every effort to support to the Syrian people for many years.
Further aid projects worth a total of 60 million euros are currently in progress. All of these envisioned projects are handled exclusively via UN aid agencies and NGOs. Financial support is provided to UNICEF, the aid organisation Arche Nova, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Syrian NGOs and a dedicated UN fund. The money is earmarked for repairing schools, taking care of traumatised children, arranging employment for internally-displaced persons and promoting reconciliation of the different population groups.
The Federal Government provides humanitarian aid to help those in urgent need. The aim is to give people the chance to live in dignity and security and to ease suffering. Development partnerships have a different goal: here the aim is to achieve long-term and sustainable improvements in social, environmental and political conditions.