South Africa’s Approach to the New Syrian Government After Years of Supporting Bashar al-Assad

ALDAR/

Amid significant political changes in Syria following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, South Africa is seeking to open communication channels with the new Syrian government.

Until recently, South Africa was one of the main regional supporters of Assad’s regime in Africa, but the current period, marked by drastic changes in power, compels Pretoria to reassess its stance.

On January 15, 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the transitional Syrian government, As’ad Hassan al-Shiyani, met with South African officials in the capital, Damascus, where discussions were held on ways to strengthen future relations between the two countries.

Although South Africa had committed to supporting Assad over the years, the current situation reflects rapid shifts in South Africa’s foreign policy in the Middle East.

Nevertheless, it does not seem that Pretoria has yet taken a decisive stance in supporting the new Syrian government. Recent developments show a limited openness from the South African government to open communication channels with the new regime, but with a careful analysis of the current situation in the region. The big question that remains is how willing South Africa is to engage further in this transitional phase in Syria, and whether the new Syrian government is willing to normalize relations with the South African government, which had been a supporter of Bashar al-Assad.