Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the U.N. General Assembly, becoming the first Syrian head of state to participate in nearly 60 years.
The last time a Syrian head of state attended the General Assembly was in 1967. That was before the 50-year rule of the Assad family dynasty, which came to an end in December when Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. Assad's fall also brought to an end nearly 14 years of civil war.
Since then, al-Sharaa has sought to restore ties with Arab countries and the West, where officials were initially wary of his past al-Qaida ties. The rebel group he formerly led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was previously designated by the United States as a terrorist group.
Since assuming power, al-Sharaa has preached coexistence and sought to reassure Syria's minority communities, but the country's fragile recovery has been threatened by outbreaks of violence.
Along with his appearance at the U.N. General Assembly, al-Sharaa is likely to use his visit to push for further sanctions relief for Syria as it attempts to rebuild its war-battered economy and infrastructure.
