Syrian transitional government | |
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.svg) Cabinet of theSyrian Arab Republic | |
| 2025–present | |
 Syrian presidentAhmed al-Sharaa, the head of the provisional government | |
| Date formed | 29 March 2025 |
| People and organisations | |
| President | Ahmed al-Sharaa |
| No. of ministers | 23 |
| Status in legislature | Provisional |
| History | |
| Predecessor | Syrian caretaker government |
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Personal
Political offices
President of Syria Incumbent
Governments  | ||
| Part of a series on theSyrian civil war |
| Syrian peace process |
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History |
Secondary concerns |
States directly involved in the Peace Process |
TheSyrian transitional government[a] is theprovisional government ofSyria, formed on 29 March 2025 under PresidentAhmed al-Sharaa.[1] It succeeded theSyrian caretaker government headed byMohammed al-Bashir.
The government was announced by Ahmed al-Sharaa at a ceremony at thePresidential Palace inDamascus, where the new ministers were sworn in and delivered speeches outlining their agendas. Two new ministries were formed: theMinistry of Sports and Youth andMinistry of Emergency and Disaster Management. The position ofPrime Minister was abolished. TheMinistry of Energy was formed from the mergers of theMinistry of Electricity, theMinistry of Oil and Mineral Resources and theMinistry of Water Resources[2][3][4] while theMinistry of Economy and Industry was formed from the mergers of theMinistry of Economy and Foreign Trade,Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection and theMinistry of Industry.[4]
The2024 Syrian opposition offensives, codenamed "Deterrence of Aggression," were led byHay'at Tahrir al-Sham and supported by alliedTurkish-backed groups in theSyrian National Army. These offensives resulted in the rapidfall ofBashar al-Assad'sdictatorship, ending five decades ofAssad family rule that began whenHafez al-Assad assumed power in 1970 under theBa'ath Party following acoup d'état.[5]
After the fall of the Assad regime, Bashar al-Assad's ninth prime minister,Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, remained in his post in a caretaker capacity with the support of the opposition andAhmed al-Sharaa until the formation of thecaretaker government, which was led byMohammed al-Bashir.[6][7] On 12 February 2025, two major organizations of the formerSyrian opposition, theSyrian National Coalition and theSyrian Negotiation Commission, announced their allegiance to the caretaker government.[8] On 11 March 2025, al-Sharaa signed anagreement withMazloum Abdi, the commander of theSyrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to incorporate SDF-controlled institutions into the state, establish border crossings, and pledge to fight the remnants of the Assad regime.[9] The deadline for the merger has been set for the end of 2025.[10]
The government implemented the2025 Interim Constitution of Syria, aprovisional constitution ratified by al-Sharaa on 13 March 2025, establishing thebasic law of Syria for a five-year transition period from 2025 to 2030.[11] The Interim Constitution sets apresidential system with the executive power at the hands of the president who appoints the ministers,[12] without the position ofprime minister.[13]
The government was announced by Syrian presidentAhmed al-Sharaa at a ceremony at thePresidential Palace inDamascus,[14] in which the new ministers were sworn in and delivered speeches outlining their agendas.[15] Two new ministries were formed: theMinistry of Sports and Youth andMinistry of Emergency and Disaster Management.[16] The post of prime minister was abolished.[17]
Four of the new ministers belonged to minority ethnic groups or religions:Yaarub Bader, anAlawite;Amjad Badr, aDruze;Hind Kabawat, aChristian; andMohammed Abdul Rahman Turko, aKurd.[17] The government also included figures from different groups of the formerSyrian opposition: during thecivil war,Mohammed Abu al-Khair Shukri was a member of theSyrian National Coalition,Raed al-Saleh was director of theWhite Helmets and Hind Kabawat served as deputy head of theSyrian Negotiation Commission in Geneva.[18] The new government was described by some observers as technocratic, with "ministers chosen according to their competences" according to president Al-Sharaa.[19]
Syrian presidentAhmed al-Sharaa stated that the new government will reform the energy sector for sustainability and reliable electricity, support farmers to ensure food production, revive the industry, protect national products, attract investment, stabilize the economy, strengthen theSyrian pound, and prevent financial manipulation.[14]
On 16 April, Syria's minister of the interior,Anas Khattab, announced that government forces had successfully thwarted an attempted coup by officers loyal to the old regime and that the government would create mechanisms to identify those responsible.[20][21][22] The announcement came as part of an increased network of collaboration between the new various security apparatus, from police to military to intelligence.[23] According to Khattab, security forces had been tipped off to the plot, and were able to launch an operation to disrupt it before it could be executed, although exact details of who specifically was involved are scarce.[20]
On 10 April 2025, South Korean Foreign MinisterCho Tae-yul visitedDamascus and met with Syrian Foreign MinisterAsaad al-Shaibani. During the meeting, both sides signed a formal agreement to establishdiplomatic relations, which included plans to open embassies and exchangediplomatic missions.[24][25] The agreement made Syria the last United Nations member state, outside of North Korea, to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea.[26]
On 18 April, Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas met with al-Sharaa in Damascus, his first visit to Syria since 2009.[27] They discussed strengthening bilateral ties and regional developments, includingGaza and thetwo-state solution, and agreed to form joint committees for cooperation.[28]
On 7 May 2025, Syrian presidentAhmed al-Sharaa met with PresidentEmmanuel Macron in France. It was his first official visit to aWestern country since becoming president.[29][30] On 14 May, hemet with U.S. presidentDonald Trump in Saudi Arabia, marking the first meeting between American and Syrian heads of state sinceBill Clinton andHafez al-Assad convened in Geneva in 2000.[31] Since then, a number of Western governments have lifted thesanctions on Syria, most notably the United States and the United Kingdom.[32][33]
On 15 May, al-Shaibani held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of StateMarco Rubio in Antalya, Turkey.[34] The meeting took place two days after Trump announced his decision to liftsanctions on Syria and initiate the normalization ofbilateral relations.[35] On 23 May, the Trump administration lifted a wide range of sanctions on Syria.[36] On 30 June, Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions imposed by the United States against Syria except those linked to theAssad family and their associates and related institutions.[37]
On 17 May 2025, al-Sharaa signedPresidential Decrees No. 19 and No. 20, appointingAbdulbaset Abdullatif andMohammad Reda Jalkhi as heads of the commission. They were given 30 days to form a working team and draft the internal regulations required for the commission’s operation, leading to the establishment of theNational Commissions for the Missing andTransitional Justice.[38][39]
TheDemocratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has since said it will not adhere to the decisions of the newly-formed government, alleging that its composition allowed a single faction to maintain control and did not represent the diversity of Syria.[40]
Sheikh Hammoud al-Hinnawi, a prominentDruze community leader, welcomed the formation of the new Syrian government, commending the conciseness and conduct of the ministers' speeches.[41]
Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated the establishment of the new government and affirmed its aim to cooperate and work with the transitional government "in a manner that embodies the fraternal and historical relations between the two countries and strengthens relations in all fields".[42]
Jordan: Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the announcement of the new Syrian government, and Ministry Spokesperson Sufyan Qudah said that Jordan intends to deepen cooperation with the new government.[43]
Turkey: The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the formation of the new Syrian government, saying that this "stresses the Syrian administration's commitment to achieving a comprehensive Syrian-led political transition process". The ministry also said that Turkey intends to continue to support the Syrian political process and also called for lifting sanctions unconditionally.[44]
Qatar: Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the announcement made by the Syrian president of the formation of the new government, adding that Qatar intends to strengthen relations between the two countries and emphasizing Qatar's support for the new government to "achieve the aspirations of the fraternal Syrian people for stability, development, and prosperity".[45]
Kuwait: Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Kuwait's welcome of the formation of the new Syrian government, wishing "success in meeting Syrians' aspirations in security, safety, and prosperity".[46]
United Arab Emirates: The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the announcement of the formation of the new Syrian government.[47] Additionally, UAE officials such as presidentSheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, prime minister and ruler of DubaiSheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and vice presidentSheikh Mansour bin Zayed congratulated the Syrian president on the formation of a new government.[48]
Germany: German Special Envoy to Syria Stefan Schnecke announced that Germany welcomes the announcement of a new government in Syria.[49] German Foreign Office spokespersonKathrin Deschauer later said in a press conference that the formation of the new government was a step in the right direction for future, inclusive political reform.[50]
United Kingdom: British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan)Hamish Falconer announced that the UK welcomes the formation of the new Syrian government.[51]
France: France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said that France welcomes the formation of a new government in Syria, stating France's support for a "peaceful and inclusive political transition which guarantees the protection of Syria's pluralism and the rights of all Syrians".[52]
Norway: Norwegian Minister of Foreign AffairsEspen Barth Eide said that Norway welcomes the formation of a new Syrian government, stressing that "inclusive governance is essential for Syria's future, development, and prosperity".[53]
Palestine: Palestinian presidentMahmoud Abbas congratulated the Syrian president on the announcement of the formation of a new Syrian government.[54]
Poland: The Polish Embassy in Syria said that Poland welcomed the formation of the new government.[55]
Spain: Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the announcement of the new Syrian government, seeing it as "a step forward toward a peaceful Syria that guarantees unity and territorial integrity of the country".[56]
Italy: The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the formation of the new Syrian government, adding that Italy is ready to contribute towards reconstruction and support an inclusive political process.[57]
United States: U.S. State Department SpokeswomanTammy Bruce considered the formation of the new Syrian government a positive step but stated that sanctions would not be eased until progress was made on key priorities, including counterterrorism.[58]
Iraq: Iraqi Prime MinisterMohammed Shia' Al Sudani, during a phone call with Syrian president al-Sharaa to discuss recent developments in the region, congratulated the Syrian people on the formation of the new government and reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to respecting Syrian political developments.[59]
Ukraine: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomed the formation of the new transitional Syrian government, interpreting this as "another important stage on the way to building a peaceful and democratic country". The Ministry also expressed Ukraine's support for Syrian territorial integrity and sovereignty.[60]
Malaysia: Malaysian Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim made a phone call to Syrian President al-Sharaa to congratulate him on the formation of the new Syrian government, adding that Malaysia plans on enhancing bilateral (particularly economic) ties with Syria, and expressed his wishes for "further prosperity, stability, and prosperity for the Syrian people".[61]
South Korea: Foreign MinisterCho Tae-yul met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and extended his congratulations on the successful launch of the new government formed through inclusive representation following the end of the Assad regime.[62]
Canada:Tom Kmiec, deputy speaker of theCanadian House of Commons, said that if Damascus wants to be recognized and sanctions lifted byOttawa, it will have to acknowledgeSyrian Kurds as "thede facto" authorities in regions they rule in the country's north and east.[63]
European Union:High RepresentativeKaja Kallas,CommissionerDubravka Šuica, andCommissionerHadja Lahbib issued a joint statement welcoming the formation of the new Syrian transitional government, stating the EU's readiness to support a Syrian-led political process, engage with the new government, and respect for Syrian territorial unity, sovereignty, and integrity.[64]
Organization of Islamic Cooperation: The OIC's Secretary GeneralHissein Brahim Taha congratulated the Syrian government and people on the formation of the new Syrian government.[65]
United Nations: UN spokespersonStéphane Dujarric said that UN Special Envoy for SyriaGeir Pedersen "encourages the ongoing efforts of Syrian authorities toward a credible, inclusive, and sustainable transition in terms of governance, and also in terms of the next transitional steps".[66] The official United Nations list of heads of state and government of member states was updated in July 2025 to list Ahmed al-Sharaa as “President of the Syrian Arab Republic”[1]In forming the new transitional government, Ahmed al-Sharaa has folded in Syria's long-standing ministerial positions responsible for electricity, oil and gas into the Minister of Energy's portfolio(subscription required)
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