All eyes will be on Syria’s transitional President, Ahmad Al Shara, when he arrives in New York next week for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The symbolism is hard to miss. For the first time in nearly six decades, a Syrian president will address the Assembly.
Even more striking, it will mark the first time a sitting head of state under UN sanctions has taken the podium in person at the organisation’s flagship forum. Beyond the man himself, the visit will signal Syria’s tentative re-emergence after years of political isolation.
Mr Al Shara understands the stakes. He knows he cannot afford vague rhetoric or tired slogans. Based on conversations with informed sources, his speech is expected to centre on three themes: the creation of an inclusive political order that breaks decisively with his predecessor Bashar Al Assad’s legacy; a “zero-problems” foreign policy aimed at reassuring neighbours through co-operation rather than confrontation; and an economic strategy to reposition Syria as a regional hub, shifting it from a battlefield to a driver of trade and growth.
But words alone will not be enough. For sceptical foreign capitals, the real measure will be whether Mr Al Shara’s actions at home will align with his promises abroad. Only then can he prove that Syria is truly embarking on a new chapter.
UNGA will offer Syria its first positive international spotlight in decades. It is a stage for political theatre, with world leaders as its audience. Speeches rarely shift policy overnight, but in the UN chamber words matter. They set expectations, signal intent and help shape global perceptions.
That responsibility will weigh heavily on Mr Al Shara, an interim president who until recently was better known for his former affiliations with Al Qaeda and ISIS than for any role in statecraft. To persuade the international community that his authority rests on legitimacy rather than coercion, Mr Al Shara must use this rare platform to outline a credible strategy for Syria’s transformation.
The case he will make is ambitious but clear: Syria should be seen not as a burden but as a partner, not as a source of instability but as a potential anchor of regional security.
In laying out his political programme, Mr Al Shara is likely to begin by recalling the atrocities of the Assad regime, the suffering endured by millions and the sacrifices made to bring that regime to an end. Against that backdrop, he will sketch an image of a united and inclusive Syria, determined to move beyond decades of violence.
He is expected to highlight progress already achieved in the transition: restoring basic services, filling power vacuums, averting state collapse and beginning the difficult work of building institutions grounded in competence rather than patronage. At the heart of his message will be a pledge to protect all Syrians equally and to ensure inclusion without resorting to sectarian quotas.
Mr Al Shara will also likely acknowledge the challenges that remain. He is expected to cite recent outbreaks of violence, point to their causes and underscore his government’s efforts to respond and hold perpetrators accountable. Partition, he will insist, is a red line: Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be preserved, and any attempt to undermine them will fail.
The case Mr Al Shara will make is ambitious but clear: Syria should be seen not as a burden but as a partner, not as a source of instability but as a potential anchor of regional security
Foreign policy will likely form a central pillar of his address. Mr Al Shara is expected to repeat his embrace of a “zero-problem” approach, a deliberate departure from Mr Al Assad’s confrontational and isolationist posture. His message will be that Syria will no longer threaten its neighbours but will instead seek stability through dialogue, co-operation and mutual respect.
He should pledge tighter border controls to curb smuggling and militant activity, an end to the use of Syrian territory for attacks on neighbouring states and the creation of mechanisms to defuse disputes before they escalate. To reassure sceptical capitals, Mr Al Shara could underline that Iran’s military presence in Syria has ended and will not return.
On Israel, Mr Al Shara could cite ongoing talks with that country as proof of his commitment to peace. As he has stated before, his priority is a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement to stabilise southern Syria and lower the risk of renewed conflict. At the same time, he will need to make clear that Syria cannot normalise relations with Israel while the Golan Heights remain under occupation, and emphasise that any Israeli attempt to partition Syria is destined to fail.
The third pillar of Mr Al Shara’s speech will almost certainly be the economy. His message should be that Syria, though scarred by war, is determined to reclaim its role as the economic crossroads of the Levant. Reconstruction will be driven by Syrians, but its government is also keen to invite regional and international partners to invest, portraying Syria not as a ward of humanitarian relief but as a market of opportunity.
Economic recovery, Mr Al Shara could argue, is not simply about rebuilding infrastructure but about transforming Syria into a hub for digital connectivity, agricultural exports and regional trade. A revitalised economy is Syria’s strongest safeguard against relapse into conflict, with stability rooted in prosperity. Plans to modernise ports, extend railways and pipelines, and integrate Syria into global supply chains are expected to feature prominently
Still, the significance of Mr Al Shara’s speech will not be measured by his delivery in New York. Convincing world leaders that Syria has turned a corner will require proof at home. That means demonstrating that unity is more than a slogan by building institutions and a political system that reflect and embrace Syria’s diversity. It means making inclusion genuine, grounded in competence and fairness. And it means upholding the rule of law, ensuring accountability applies equally to all.
If Mr Al Shara can match his domestic record to the commitments he makes in New York, he will have the chance to shift not only Syria’s international image but also its domestic trajectory. Words may set expectations, but actions will determine whether Syria emerges as a stable, unified and inclusive state or remains mired in cycles of mistrust and fragmentation.
Company%20profile
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Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Racecard
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
UAE v Zimbabwe A
Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs
Fixture
Match 5, Saturday, 9.30am start, ICC Academy, Dubai
SPECS
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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
On racial profiling at airports
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
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