New beginning

• Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, now known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh, marking a diplomatic victory for al-Sharaa.

• Al-Sharaa, a member of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has gained support from Qatar, Turkey, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

• The lifting of American sanctions opens Syria to global economic mainstream and foreign investments.

• Al-Sharaa has invited American companies to invest in Syria’s oil and gas, potentially attracting foreign investment for reconstruction and business opportunities.

• However, Syria has seen targeted violence against minority communities, with sectarian tensions remaining high in central Syria.

• The Kurds in the northeast call for a decentralized, democratic Syria, opposing the HTS’s centralised governance style.

• Al-Sharaa’s leadership must stabilize the country internally, dismantle extremist armed groups, and adopt an inclusive constitution to steer Syria towards recovery and prosperity.