91The European Union will host Syrian transitional authorities in Brussels on Monday for the first EU-Syria High-Level Political Dialogue, marking a formal step in relations after the fall of Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime.<\/p>\n
The European Union will hold its first High-Level Political Dialogue with Syria in Brussels on Monday, as the bloc seeks to move relations with the country\u2019s transitional authorities from emergency response towards structured political and economic engagement.<\/p>\n
The meeting, scheduled for 11 May, will be co-chaired by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Syria\u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. The European Commission will be represented by Dubravka \u0160uica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, and Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, according to the official Council agenda<\/a>.<\/p>\n The dialogue is intended to review EU support for Syria\u2019s stabilisation, socio-economic recovery and political transition. It follows the EU\u2019s decision to open a new phase of engagement with the Syrian transitional authorities after the fall of the Assad regime, while maintaining a focus on inclusive governance, reconciliation and long-term stability.<\/p>\n The Commission said the Brussels meetings would \u201creinforce EU-Syria relations\u201d and examine support for Syria\u2019s recovery, reconstruction and stability. In its announcement<\/a>, published on 8 May, it described Monday\u2019s events as a step towards a new framework of co-operation with Damascus.<\/p>\n The political dialogue will take place after a separate Syria Partnership Coordination Forum earlier in the day. That meeting will bring together international stakeholders to co-ordinate assistance, reconstruction and development work. It will be co-chaired by Commissioner \u0160uica and Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani, with participation expected from EU member states, G7 countries, Arab states, the United Nations and major financial organisations.<\/p>\n The format reflects the EU\u2019s attempt to align political engagement with practical recovery planning. Syria faces extensive reconstruction needs after more than a decade of war, institutional collapse, sanctions, displacement and economic fragmentation. For Brussels, the central challenge is to support stabilisation without moving too quickly ahead of political benchmarks.<\/p>\n