Syria after the fall of the Assad regime
The Syrian people have experienced terrible suffering for many years. Following the fall of the Assad regime, Germany “stands by all Syrians who have high hopes for a free, just and safe Syria”, said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Almost 14 years of civil war have plunged Syria into a humanitarian crisis.
Photo: picture alliance / abaca /Ugur Yildirim/DIA Images
- What the Federal Government is doing on the diplomatic front
- Expansion of diplomatic presence
- What the Federal Government is doing on the humanitarian front
Though it is currently uncertain what will happen in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasised in his podcast Kanzler Kompakt that the end of the Assad regime was good news. “The Syrian President Assad inflicted brutal and violent oppression on his own people for more than a decade. He has thousands of lives on his conscience and has driven millions of people to flee their homes.”
A civil war has been raging between the Assad regime and opposition groups in Syria since 2011, triggering one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises and one of the worst refugee disasters. After almost 14 years, fighters of the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) captured Damascus on 8 December 2024, ending Bashar al-Assad’s long-standing rule in Syria. Following the fall of the Assad regime, opposition forces now control large parts of the country.
The Federal Government is actively engaged in supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria. Federal Chancellor Scholz said he was optimistic about enabling “an inclusive national dialogue, an orderly and peaceful transition process, and ultimately a political solution to the conflict in Syria”, adding that Germany would contribute to this together with international partners and based on the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
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. In order to achieve this, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Development Minister Svenja Schulze and other members of the Federal Government are engaged in numerous talks with Germany’s international and regional partners.
“If there is to be a peaceful transition of power in Syria – and we are in agreement with our partners in the region on this – then the rights of all ethnic and religious communities in the country must be taken into account,” said Foreign Minister Baerbock, adding that the Syrian dialogue process was not to be undermined from either the inside or the outside.
Talks initiated with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Federal Chancellor Scholz and Foreign Minister Baerbock have repeatedly emphasised that the Federal Government is prepared to work with a transitional government, though they have also said that such a government would have to comply with fundamental human rights and ensure the protection of ethnic and religious minorities.
Classified as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations and the European Union, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) emerged from the Al-Nusra Front – the Syrian branch of the al-Qaeda terrorist network.
About a week after the fall of the Assad regime, representatives of the Federal Government met the leader of HTS and other representatives of the Syrian transitional government for the first time. The talks in Damascus focussed on the political transition process in Syria. The German delegation also met with representatives of civil society and religious communities.
On 14 December 2024, the Federal Government was also at the table at a meeting of the Arab Contact Group on Syria in Jordan. In their Joint Declaration, the participants reaffirmed their full support for the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria.
Federal Minister Baerbock presented an eight-point plan to the Federal Cabinet that seeks to create stability in Syria, promote the reconstruction of the country and enable the safe return of refugees.
Expansion of diplomatic presence
After years without diplomatic representation in Syria, the Federal Government is now planning to return. The Federal Foreign Office’s new Special Coordinator for Syria, Minister of State Tobias Lindner, will be holding detailed talks with relevant players in the region over the coming weeks in order to strengthen political dialogue.
What the Federal Government is doing on the humanitarian front
Although it remains uncertain what will happen in Syria, the fall of the Assad regime has opened up a window of opportunity for the pursuit and support of positive developments. For this reason, the Federal Government is mobilising eight million euros for humanitarian aid in the short term: according to Minister Baerbock, reconstruction can only work “if people are provided with the most basic necessities.”
The Federal Government has previously supported the citizens of Syria in recent years. In 2024 alone, the Federal Foreign Office provided around 213 million euros for humanitarian aid.
In connection with development cooperation, Germany is supporting the Syrian population in close coordination with other international donors: the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) provided funds totalling around 125 million euros for this purpose in 2024. “The Federal Government is prepared to support people on this difficult path, for example in providing them with the things they need most urgently for survival,” said Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze, adding that this included clean water, food, but also education for all children and a functioning healthcare system.
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, namely to achieve long-term and sustainable improvements in the social, environmental and political conditions.