In a televised address to his people on Wednesday evening, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa thanked his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for "standing with the Syrian people." He described his American counterpart's decision to lift sanctions on his country as "historic and courageous."
sharing
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa / AFP
11 hours ago
Al-Sharaa referred to his foreign visits, noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "stood with the Syrian people and endured much for his country over the past 14 years, hosting millions of Syrians."
He added, "Unity of decision and direction cannot be disappointed by God. Prince Mohammed bin Salman has kept his promise, President Erdogan has kept his love, Prince Tamim has kept his loyalty, Sheikh bin Zayed has kept his eagerness, and all the other rulers have kept their feelings."
"President Trump responded to all this love, and the decision to lift sanctions was a historic and courageous one," Sharaa said.
Addressing his country's people, Al-Sharaa explained that "the road ahead is still long. Today, serious work has begun, and with it, the renaissance of modern Syria has begun, so that we may build Syria together toward progress, prosperity, knowledge, and work."
He explained that "Syria is committed to enhancing the investment climate, developing economic legislation, and providing the necessary facilities to enable domestic and foreign capital to contribute effectively to reconstruction and comprehensive development."
He welcomed "all investors from within and outside the country, from our Arab and Turkish brothers, and from our friends around the world, and we invite them to take advantage of the opportunities available in various sectors."
Al-Sharaa added: "Syria pledges to be a land of peace and joint action and to be loyal to every hand extended to it with goodness."
He stressed that "Syria will no longer be an arena for power struggles or a platform for foreign ambitions. We will not allow Syria to be divided, nor will we pave the way for the revival of the former regime's narratives aimed at fragmenting our people."
Al-Sharaa stressed that "Syria belongs to all Syrians, regardless of their sects or ethnicities, and to all who live on this blessed land. Coexistence is our heritage throughout history, and the divisions that have torn us apart have always been the result of foreign interventions, and today we all reject them."
On Tuesday, during the Saudi-US Investment Forum 2025 in Riyadh, Trump announced his decision to lift sanctions on Syria, stressing that the goal is to "give the Syrian people an opportunity for growth and development."
Trump explained that the decision came after consultations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of the capital, Damascus, and other cities, ending 61 years of brutal Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family control.