联合国秘书长古特雷斯对叙利亚首都大马士革进行了历史性访问。[1]这是古特雷斯担任秘书长以来首次访问叙利亚，也是联合国秘书长自2009年以来首次到访大马士革。[1]访问期间，古特雷斯表示："我呼吁国际社会不遗余力地支持叙利亚人民。"[1]
此次访问恰逢叙利亚局势发生重大变化。[1]该国巴沙尔·阿萨德政权于2024年12月倒台，而在此之前，叙利亚已经历了自2011年3月爆发的内战，造成近50万人死亡。[1]根据联合国估计，叙利亚90%的人口生活在贫困中，世界银行去年对该国重建成本的评估高达约2160亿美元。[1]
古特雷斯在访问期间还就中东地区问题表明了立场。他批评了以色列在叙利亚南方的军事行动，并重申联合国的立场："戈兰高地是叙利亚的，这是毫无疑问的。"[1]戈兰高地在1967年中东战争中被以色列占领，并于1981年被吞并。[1]2019年，时任美国总统特朗普签署公告，承认以色列对戈兰高地的主权。[1]
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made his first visit to Syria since taking office, and the first visit by a UN secretary-general to Damascus since 2009.[1] During his trip to the Syrian capital, Guterres urged the international community to make an unwavering commitment to supporting the Syrian people.[1] He stated: "I call on the international community to spare no effort in supporting the Syrian people."[1]
The visit comes in the aftermath of major political change in Syria, as the government of Bashar al-Assad collapsed in December 2024.[1] Syria has endured nearly fourteen years of civil war beginning in March 2011, a conflict that has claimed close to 500,000 lives.[1] The country faces an enormous humanitarian and reconstruction crisis, with the UN estimating that 90 percent of the Syrian population lives in poverty.[1] The World Bank assessed last year that rebuilding Syria would require approximately $216 billion.[1]
During his visit, Guterres criticized Israeli military operations in southern Syria and reaffirmed the UN position on disputed territory, stating: "The Golan Heights belong to Syria, this is without question."[1] Israel occupied the Golan Heights during the 1967 Middle East war and formally annexed the territory in 1981.[1] In 2019, President Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.[1]