Syria has moved from crisis to reconstruction and is “rising” after years of war and bloodshed, President Ahmad Al Shara told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, saying Damascus had restored ties with the international community and had started to rebuild state institutions.
“A year ago, I stood before you representing my people for the first time in 60 years,” Mr Al Shara said. “Last year, I mentioned that Syria came back. Today, I say that Syria is rising.”
He said Syria had stopped the bloodshed and destruction, and embarked on a path of reconstruction and recovery. He said the country had been reunified, weapons brought under state control, and military and civilian institutions rebuilt.
He said sanctions had been lifted, reconstruction projects launched and efforts intensified to combat drug trafficking, organised crime and human smuggling, while Damascus had also focused on transitional justice and determining the fate of missing people.
“Since liberation, more than 100 states started communicating with us through 4,000 communications,” Mr Al Shara said, adding that Damascus had hosted more than 60 diplomatic missions. “Syria has restored its status in the international community.”
