EU chief von der Leyen to visit Syria this week
- Von der Leyen will head to Syria as part of a tour of the Middle East
BRUSSELS: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen will visit Syria later this week on a first trip to the country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a spokeswoman said Monday.
Von der Leyen will head to Syria as part of a tour of the Middle East that will also see her visit Jordan and Lebanon, spokeswoman Paula Pinho said.
Von der Leyen’s visit to the devastated country comes as the international community seeks to bolster fragile efforts to rebuild a year after Assad’s downfall.
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Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel who led Assad’s ouster, has been scrambling to boost support from abroad and shore up security.
But the country remains in a perilous position and is still grappling with sectarian violence and the threat of the Islamic State group.
The EU is a key financial donor for Damascus and has rolled back sanctions imposed during the civil war to try to boost reconstruction efforts.
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