Syria announced it is joining the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State group, coinciding with an official visit by Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, to the White House, the first such visit by a Syrian president.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said in a post on X today, Tuesday, November 11, that Syria signed a political cooperation declaration with the Global Coalition, affirming its role as a partner in combating terrorism and supporting regional stability.

According to al-Mustafa, the agreement is political and does not yet include any military provisions.

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, also confirmed in an interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hadath channel early today that Syria signed the accession agreement to the Global Coalition.

President al-Sharaa held a meeting that lasted more than an hour at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President J. D. Vance, alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.

During the meeting, President Trump praised what he described as “Syria’s transformation and the resilience of its people,” affirming full U.S. support, and added, “You have done a great job, and we support you.”

Discussions centered on economic cooperation, attracting American investment to Syria, and exploring plans to lift sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act, with Trump emphasizing that the United States “seeks to help Syria rebuild its economy and achieve stability.”

The meeting also addressed integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army as part of unifying security and military institutions, and strengthening internal stability.

According to a statement by Syria’s Foreign Ministry, the U.S. side also affirmed its support for reaching a security agreement with Israel aimed at enhancing regional stability.

The ministry said Trump “commended Syria’s successful leadership of the preceding phase and the achievements realized,” and confirmed U.S. readiness “to provide the necessary support to ensure success in reconstruction and development in the coming phase.”

According to the same statement, the U.S. president expressed support for “efforts to spur recovery and investment in Syria,” affirming a commitment to proceed with lifting sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act to expand development opportunities and attract investment.

At Trump’s direction, an expanded working session was held that brought together Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to follow up on “what was agreed between al-Sharaa and Trump and set clear implementation mechanisms.”

Al-Sharaa in Washington

President al-Sharaa held a closed-door meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at 11 a.m. Washington time, 7 p.m. Damascus time, on Monday, November 10.

The U.S. administration described the visit as a “historic step” that paves the way to test the possibility of returning Damascus to a diplomatic track after more than a decade of war and isolation, according to Fox News on November 10.

The meeting covered files related to the SDF agreement, U.S. sanctions on Syria, and a security arrangement with Israel.

According to the Syrian Presidency, the talks between al-Sharaa and Trump explored ways to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation across various fields, in addition to discussing several regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The talks were attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with other officials from both sides.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on November 8, his second visit to America after attending the 80th United Nations summit in New York.

During his meeting with representatives of Syrian organizations in the United States, al-Sharaa said sanctions on Syria are in their final stages, calling for continued efforts until they are fully lifted. He described the opportunity before Syrians today as “rare” and one that should be seized.