Syria: EU is a key partner
Shafaq News – Damascus
The European Union is a key partner for Syria, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani noted on Saturday, praising the Union’s long-standing initiatives that have "remained active even throughout the country’s most difficult years."
Speaking at the Syrian Civil Society Dialogue Day—held in Damascus for the first time in nine years—al-Shibani described the gathering as the start of a “solid and renewed partnership” between the state and Europe.
وزير الخارجية والمغتربين السيد أسعد حسن الشيباني يفتتح مؤتمر "يوم حوار مع المجتمع المدني السوري"، تحت شعار خطوة أولى نحو حوار منظم، لإطلاق شراكة بين الجمهورية العربية السورية والاتحاد الأوروبي. pic.twitter.com/vo8DPii9Gw
— وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين السورية (@syrianmofaex) November 15, 2025
Also attending the event, Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Qabawat said the dialogue represents “the start of change,” adding that Syria’s reconstruction relies on a partnership grounded in mutual respect between state institutions and civil actors.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to supporting all Syrians "as they work to rebuild their country after decades of authoritarian rule," confirming the allocation of €2.5 billion for reconstruction-related efforts.
Since 2011, the European Union has provided over €38 billion to support Syrian civil society groups, according to a 2024 report by the European Commission.
