Foreign Minister and Expatriates Affairs Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani affirmed that Syria has left the trench of conflicts to take its place and status at the table of regional security manufacturing, stressing that true security is embodied in states capable of protecting their peoples and neighbors who respect each other's sovereignty.
Minister Al-Shibani reviewed, in a speech delivered today Saturday during a session on the pillars of regional security within the proceedings of the 22nd edition of the Manama Dialogue 2026, the path of national recovery, steps to close the chapter on the legacy of the ousted regime, and Syria's firm positions on various regional and international issues.
Recovery path and harvest of promises
Minister Al-Shibani clarified that Syria had long transformed into a file discussed on others' tables, overflowing with the burdens of displacement, export of crises, and transnational crime, affirming the fulfillment of the harvest of promises to close the legacy of the ousted regime through the Arab Republic of Syria's joining of the international coalition against "ISIS".
He pointed out that Syria took a historic step by integrating armed formations in the northeast into state institutions, stressing that legitimacy of arms derives solely from the legitimacy of the state.
Closing the Caesar Act
Al-Shibani indicated the closing of the page of the Caesar Act, the return of parliamentary life to Syria, and the beginning of accountability for those involved in violations during the ousted regime's era, culminating in the return of more than 3.7 million Syrians to their homes.
He added that Syria is cooperating with full transparency with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Atomic Energy Agency to close files related to technical and institutional matters.
Security challenges and border protection
Al-Shibani drew attention to the volume of remaining challenges and the legacy of an administrative structure corroded by corruption, explaining that border protection requires qualified guards and advanced equipment, and that building a stable society requires basic living conditions such as schools and health centers.
He stressed that confronting transnational smuggling networks requires information exchange and operational coordination that preserves state sovereignty and protects civilian lives.
Golan and the Palestinian issue
Minister Al-Shibani pointed out that the state-building process faces existential challenges in southern Syria, where our lands have been subjected to more than 1,000 Israeli attacks in less than two years, claiming dozens of lives.
Al-Shibani renewed the call for a return to the lines prior to December 8, 2024, and activating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, stressing that the Golan is Syrian land and that Resolution 497 is the reference.
He clarified that regional stability is contingent on ending the tragedy in Gaza and finding a path leading to an independent Palestinian state, warning that any settlement that jumps over Palestinian rights remains a fragile interlude between two wars.
Minister Al-Shibani concluded by saying that homelands tested by fire emerge stronger and more resilient, and that Syrians have chosen to be builders of a stable tomorrow, calling for the establishment of a Middle East where its states hold the initiative and close channels of foreign intervention.
The 22nd edition of the "Manama Dialogue" summit, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, will be held from October 30 to November 1, 2026, with participation from delegations of more than 50 countries.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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