TRIPOLI: Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani celebrated the reopening of his nation’s embassy in the Libyan capital on Sunday, ending a closure spanning over a decade. The event marked a significant diplomatic milestone, with Shaibani emphasizing the restoration of ties between the two historically linked nations.
- Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani was welcomed by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, the head of Libya’s UN-recognized administration in Tripoli, and engaged in discussions with acting Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour during the ceremony.
“Today, this embassy returns to reaffirm the importance and value of the Syrian-Libyan relationship,” Shaibani stated, highlighting the symbolic significance of the reopening.
The diplomatic mission had remained dormant since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011, exacerbated by the fall of Muammar Qaddafi’s regime and the subsequent instability in Libya. While a Damascus delegation briefly reopened the embassy in 2025, full operations only commenced this year following Syria’s new administration consolidating power in December 2024 after ousting former President Bashar Assad.
Shaibani underscored the embassy’s role in addressing the humanitarian needs of Syrians who sought refuge in Libya during the conflict, noting that Tripoli had severed diplomatic ties with Syria’s former regime. According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the Syrian diaspora in Libya is estimated at approximately 200,000 individuals.
During talks, both nations also committed to enhancing cooperation on security matters, including efforts to combat illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and terrorist activities, as outlined in a joint statement.
