Enab Baladi – Jana al-Issa
In its first participation of its kind in Syria’s history, the Foreign Minister in the interim government of Damascus, Asaad al-Shibani, attended the World Economic Forum “Davos 2025” in Switzerland during its 55th edition, which was held from January 20 to 24.
This first participation carried many positive echoes regarding the impact of attendance on the country’s economy on one hand, and strengthening relations on the other. About 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries participated in the conference, along with 350 heads of governments. The agenda of the forum included a range of issues, most notably the state of geo-economic uncertainty, artificial intelligence, reimagining growth, and protecting the planet.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani stated in a post on the “X” platform on the first day of the conference, “I am honored to represent Syria for the first time in its history at the World Economic Forum Davos 2025 in Switzerland. We will convey to the world our developmental vision for the future of Syria and the aspirations of our great people.”
Trade partnerships and political achievements
The Davos forum is a common name for the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is an international non-governmental and non-profit organization based in Switzerland, founded in 1971 by the German professor Klaus Schwab. It was first held in 1971 and was known as the “European Management Forum,” with its name changing to the current one in 1987.
The forum is an organization that seeks cooperation between the public and private sectors, and these meetings can lead to commercial partnerships and political achievements.
The forum, which is held annually in the Davos resort in the Swiss Alps, provides a neutral, non-profit global platform for communication among stakeholders to build trust and develop initiatives for collaboration and progress. It collaborates with political leaders, business figures, academics, civil society, and other community leaders to shape global, regional, and industrial agendas.
The Davos forum brings together heads of state, private sector leaders, as well as many leading voices from civil society and academia.
This includes politicians from various political spectra, change-makers in the private sector, top minds from different fields, as well as activists, artists, labor leaders, indigenous community members, and prominent youth voices.
Numerous meetings
During his attendance at the Davos conference, al-Shibani held several meetings alongside a speech he delivered during the conference. Among the meetings was his meeting with the Swiss Foreign Minister, the Austrian Foreign Minister, and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.
Al-Shibani met with several individuals and non-governmental entities, including the head of the Middle East and North Africa region at the World Economic Forum, the executive director of the International Crisis Group, and the co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, alongside several Syrian and Arab businesspeople specializing in supply chain, reconstruction services, and infrastructure development.
To develop relations
Dr. Abdul Nasser al-Jassim, an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics Management at Mardin University in Turkey, considered Syria’s invitation and participation an important matter indicating the international community’s desire to provide an opportunity for the new Syria to present its vision and return to the world as a positive and effective cooperative member, in contrast to how Syria was under the rule of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad.
Al-Jassim explained in his interview with Enab Baladi that the attendance could be considered an opportunity to showcase the vision and network with some attendees in their respective capacities, particularly since Syria needs international cooperation to begin the process of reconstruction and development. At the same time, this process includes many opportunities for various organizations, companies, and active parties present.
Regarding the economic impact and the reflection of the Foreign Minister’s participation in such a conference, economic expert Abdul Nasser al-Jassim considered that the results would be subsequent and not direct, emphasizing the usefulness of seizing the attendance opportunity for networking and building relationships with the diverse attendees.
A rare opportunity
Economic researcher Khaled Turkawi indicated that the forum helps participating speakers present their viewpoints, provide assurances to investors, and discuss potential commercial and economic opportunities in their countries. Therefore, Syria’s participation in the conference is considered a rare opportunity.
The researcher confirmed in a post on Facebook that Syria’s participation in the conference is extremely important in terms of public relations with international institutions and decision-makers, as well as significant for presenting projects and proposing ideas and outlining a general vision for the country.
Turkawi criticized Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani’s solo participation, arguing that Syria should have been represented by a full team rather than just the minister. The team’s mission should be to share the workload in explaining their perspective on Syria and conducting a public relations campaign alongside the conference to highlight investment opportunities.
Response and semi-recognition
For his part, Nidal al-Shaar, chief economist at ACY and former Syrian Minister of Economy, regarded the participation of the Syrian minister in the Davos forum, based on an official invitation extended to Syria for the first time in its history, as a pivotal step that reflects international responsiveness to the current government.
The invitation directed to the Syrian Foreign Minister indicates a form of semi-recognition of the current Syrian administration and is seen as a sign that Syria is beginning to take its place on the international stage as a state open to foreign investments with significantly reduced restrictions previously in place, according to al-Shaar during an interview with Al-Sharq TV network.
The agenda of the Davos forum changes every year to discuss and address the most pressing global issues. The Global Risks Report is issued prior to the annual meeting in January to identify and analyze the critical global risks ahead in the short and long term.
The forum’s program features over 300 sessions, of which 200 are streamed live to a global audience, allowing the audience to watch the meeting and interact with it.
In 1988, Greece and Turkey avoided armed conflict through an agreement reached in Davos.
In 1992, Nelson Mandela and then-South African President Frederik de Klerk met in Davos for the first time, which was a step toward ending apartheid in the country.