Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa to address UNGA amid scrutiny over militant past

Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa will take center stage at the United Nations General Assembly, where he is expected to lay out a vision for stability, reconstruction and reconciliation as the war-torn nation presses for renewed international recognition. The moment is historically significant: the first participation by a Syrian president in high-level UN meetings since 1967, according to analysts, underscoring both the gravity of Syria’s transition and the global attention still focused on the country’s path forward amid its long-running conflict.

A high-ranking Syrian official told Fox News Digital that al-Sharaa plans to present a comprehensive vision for rebuilding a country ravaged by more than a decade of civil war. The official highlighted four pillars: the lifting of unilateral sanctions that hinder recovery, a comprehensive fight against terrorism in all its forms, the return of displaced Syrians and refugees, and the advancement of an inclusive political process rooted in the will of the Syrian people. The official also stressed that al-Sharaa aims to demonstrate Syria’s shift from militant activity toward formal diplomacy and governance, noting that the leader once associated with Islamist movements has moved to present himself as a pragmatic statesman.

Among the high-stakes issues al-Sharaa is expected to press, according to the Syrian official, are calls to lift all forms of unilateral sanctions that the regime says impede reconstruction, and measures to address the security threats Syria continues to face from various militant groups. The official said the president would also stress the need for a secure environment to enable the return of millions of displaced Syrians and refugees, alongside negotiations that would foster a genuinely inclusive political process reflective of Syria’s diverse religious and ethnic communities.

The broader backdrop to the UNGA appearance includes a surprising political development: an apparent pivot in relations with the United States. In May, al-Sharaa reportedly received an endorsement from then-President Donald Trump in a meeting in Riyadh, with Trump signaling a potential path toward lifting sanctions and considering normalization of ties. Analysts say the gesture signals a shift in the West’s posture toward Syria’s leadership, even as many questions remain about the depth and durability of any such realignment.

Analysts and longtime observers cautioned that the symbolism of a Syrian president addressing the UN does not guarantee policy promises will be fulfilled. Natasha Hall, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital that the gathering represents a historic moment for Syria but that he faces verification of political intent beyond the rhetoric. “On such a historic occasion, what he will try to emphasize and underline is that this is a new day for Syria,” Hall said. “They have overthrown the brutal dictatorship of the Assad regime. He will talk about the progress that’s been made and what more progress needs to happen in terms of recognition and the lifting of U.N. sanctions to help Syria move forward.”

Beyond rhetoric, the practical questions remain daunting. The reconstruction bill for Syria is estimated at between $250 billion and $400 billion, while the United Nations says about 16.7 million people — roughly 75 percent of the population — are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The country’s humanitarian crisis is compounded by ongoing violence and a fragile security environment, even as al-Sharaa has pledged to curb external threats and prevent Syria from serving as a staging ground for regional violence.

The leadership’s past raises particular concerns. Al-Sharaa previously led HTS, a rebel group with Islamist roots that played a central role in the power shifts that culminated in the ouster of the Assad regime. While al-Sharaa has publicly praised moves to target ISIS and other terrorist groups operating in Syria, skeptics warn that the path to durable reform may be uneven. Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, who was the last U.S. ambassador in Damascus before the war, told Fox News Digital that while al-Sharaa’s current governance appears more restrained than in earlier years, the critical question remains: will civil liberties and political pluralism be respected over time, or will loyalty to regime-aligned interests predominate?

"Al-Sharaa is not a democrat. He ruled Idlib without power-sharing. So far, in terms of control of vital government functions like security, foreign affairs, intelligence and justice, he has put loyalists in place," Ford said, adding that the future depends on whether political space expands for opposition voices and civil society to organize and express grievances.

Other observers emphasize the complexities of Syria’s internal balance. Barbara Leaf, the former assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs who met with Sharaa in Damascus in 2023, described a leader who appeared well-prepared for dialogue, with responses that reflected an intent to engage with the international community. Yet she also noted that the new regime remains populated by figures tied to HTS and other allied groups, raising questions about the willingness to pursue a more liberal political order. Leaf said the real test would be whether the leadership can ease religious and ethnic tensions and reduce repression while rebuilding the state’s institutions.

Caroline Rose, director of The New Lines Institute, pointed to Syria’s tricky internal dynamic, describing a fragile political ecosystem where liberal opposition voices, former regime bureaucrats and more Islamist elements must negotiate power. Rose noted patterns of policy that hint at balancing competing influences, including social controls that some observers view as inconsistent with broader civil liberties. “Does he want to formulate a kind of Islamist governance, conservative governance and social order that, frankly, Syria has not seen? And would he be willing to use force to get there? That’s an unknown,” Rose said.

As the international community watches, Syria’s transition remains deeply entangled with security challenges on multiple fronts. The fighting has not ceased entirely, and the country has experienced episodes of sectarian violence that have drawn in regional actors and elicited occasional Israeli involvement in-border, particularly in the Druze-majority Suwayda region. In Latakia and Suwayda, clashes between government forces and local militias have produced hundreds of deaths and underscored the fragile security fabric. The United Nations has warned that any relapse or failure to reintegrate Kurdish forces operating in Northeast Syria into a coherent national framework could re-open the door to an ISIS resurgence.

The UN and aid groups emphasize that stability will require more than speeches at the UNGA podium. The humanitarian and reconstruction challenges demand sustained international financing and political will, along with a credible, inclusive political process that yields tangible rights protections for minorities, women and other vulnerable groups. The coming weeks at the United Nations will be a key barometer of whether Syria’s leadership can translate rhetoric into tangible gains for the population’s daily lives, or whether the country remains locked in a cycle of uncertainty as it seeks to rejoin the broader regional and international community.

As al-Sharaa prepares to address world leaders, observers will weigh the symbolism of a former militant figure presenting a plan for a peaceful, rebuilt Syria against the reality of a deeply fractured political landscape. The UNGA gathering and related diplomacy will test whether the announced reforms can survive scrutiny, attract international aid, and, crucially, translate into improved security and life for ordinary Syrians after more than a decade of war.