Syria and France agree to reappoint ambassadors after more than a decade

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and French President Emmanuel Macron said their countries have agreed to reappoint ambassadors after more than a decade, a move both sides described as a significant step toward restoring full diplomatic ties after years of war. The announcement was made in Damascus during Macron’s visit to Syria on July 7, 2026, according to reports that placed the decision in the context of renewed engagement with Syria’s new leadership. French officials and Syrian authorities framed the step as part of normalizing diplomatic representation that had been suspended during the civil war period. France had closed its embassy in Syria in 2012 as fighting expanded, and France reopened it symbolically in early 2025, according to the reporting. Reappointing ambassadors would be a further elevation from that interim posture, involving full diplomatic appointments and formal channels for issues ranging from consular services to negotiations on trade, security, and administrative cooperation. The announcement came amid renewed attention to security in the Syrian capital. Hours around the visit, explosions rocked Damascus and Syria’s Interior Ministry said at least 18 people were injured, with reporting describing it as the second attack in the city in a week. A palace official said Macron was safe and that the meeting with al-Sharaa continued during the episode. Macron later reiterated his message publicly, describing an encounter with a Syria “in all its diversity” and stating he had met Syria’s leaders during the visit. The Syrian side characterized the engagement as strengthening the country’s aspiration to reestablish sovereignty and stability after the upheaval that followed the fall of longtime ruler Bashar Assad in late 2024. The ambassadorial decision also lands at a moment when Syria’s new rulers are still working to extend control and maintain public order, with reporting noting outbreaks of violence as they consolidate authority. For France, bringing back ambassadors could affect how the government handles humanitarian coordination, consular protection, and negotiations that require sustained, formal representation rather than partial or symbolic presence. The next steps, according to the structure of diplomatic staffing, would likely involve each government naming ambassadors and completing the procedures required for diplomatic accreditation, while the renewed channel would be tested by ongoing security incidents. The episode underscores that restoration of formal ties can proceed alongside difficult conditions on the ground, including attacks that disrupt public life and complicate diplomatic logistics.