Syria continues its attempts to increase its ties to various international organizations.
In the last week, the country has taken part in a military exercise in Turkey and has been invited to the G7 meeting in Paris. Syria has also sought out new initiatives relating to international human rights issues and works with the World Health Organization.
The concept is to bring Syria into many key organizations in the international community and increase the country’s stability and investment opportunities.
The G7 summit in France, taking place in June, will be important.
According to Reuters, “Syria will attend the G7 summit in France next month as a guest nation and be represented by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, three sources familiar with the matter said, marking Syria’s first participation in a summit of the group since the forum was founded in 1975.”
An invitation was sent to Syria’s president. It “was hand-delivered to Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh, who attended the group’s financial talks earlier this week in Paris,” according to Reuters.
In addition, Syria was involved in a recent military exercise in Turkey. This is important because Syria wants to show that its new armed forces are ready to do joint drills with NATO powers. Turkey is a member of NATO and has a large and powerful army.
Syria “joined military exercises outside the country for the first time since the fall of the Assad government, taking part alongside troops from 50 countries in Turkey’s large-scale EFES 2026 drills as Ankara deepens its role in rebuilding Syria’s military institutions,” the New Arab noted.
“The Turkish Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday that a Syrian army unit was participating in the exercises in western Turkey as part of Ankara’s support for Syria’s reconstruction process,” it added.
Syria continues outreach into global institutions
Meanwhile, Syria has also continued to reach out to other important institutions.
Syria’s SANA state media said on May 23 that “the Executive Director of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hadi bin Ali al-Yam, said the recent visit of OIC to Syria has created new opportunities for cooperation and coordination between OIC institutions and the Syrian Arab Republic.”
Additionally, Syria is working with the International Committee of the Red Cross on the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law.
A report at SANA added that “the step reflects the commitment of the new Syria to strengthen its responsible and active engagement in the international system and to consolidate respect for the principles of international law and international humanitarian law.”
The ICRC also posted a photo of Syria joining this initiative.
“This decision comes in fulfillment of the sacrifices and humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people, which was a direct result of the grave and systematic violations committed by the deposed regime against the Syrian people.
“It embodies the approach of the new Syria, which is based on respect for international law to translate this commitment into practical steps and effective diplomatic efforts,” Syria’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Syria’s Health Minister Musab al-Ali met with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday.
“The meeting took place in Geneva during the 79th World Health Assembly at the UN headquarters, according to Syria’s Health Ministry,” SANA noted.