Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa praised by Norwegian Foreign Minister

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has praised the progress of the new Syrian government led by former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. During a visit to Syria, Eide noted that the administration is working to rebuild the nation and has improved relations with neighbors, the EU, the US, and Norway.

Eide described Sharaa as an intelligent and strategic leader with a long-term vision for a unified Syria. Sharaa, who founded the movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and previously broke ties with IS and al-Qaida, is seen as gaining significant experience in his role 20 months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The visit coincided with the United States removing Syria from its terror list and lifting further sanctions. Norway has advocated for the removal of such sanctions since the regime change, arguing that they were intended to punish the Assad regime rather than the new government.