Britain has formally re-established diplomatic relations with Syria, marking a major policy shift more than a decade after cutting ties during the country’s prolonged civil war. The announcement came during Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to Damascus the first by a UK minister in 14 years.
Lammy, who was speaking in the Syrian capital, said there is “new hope for the Syrian people” and underlined the UK’s backing for the political transition of the country. “It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians,” he stated.
The action is taken as the West slowly modulates its policy towards Syria after the removal of former President Bashar al-Assad by rebel troops under the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in December last year, bringing 13 years of conflict to an end.
Britain has committed £94.5 million in humanitarian aid to help Syria heal and aid neighboring nations hosting Syrian refugees. The aid will go towards emergency relief and long-term stabilization efforts.
Earlier this year, the British relaxed sanctions by freeing the accounts of Syria’s central bank and 23 other financial and energy-related institutions. In the meantime, US President Donald Trump has just signed an executive order suspending US sanctions, which effectively brought back Syria into the global financial system.
In his discussions with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Lammy emphasized the UK’s support for a broad-based political transition and noted collaboration on preventing irregular migration, destroying chemical weapons, and combating terrorism.
Lammy will then proceed to Kuwait to enhance bilateral relations and launch a new partnership to tackle the Sudanese humanitarian crisis. His regional visit is likely to cover security cooperation and wider Middle East engagement.
