Asaad al-Shaibani

Al-Shaibani was born in 1987 to an Arab family belonging to the Banu Shayban tribe from the eastern countryside of al-Hasakah Governorate.{{Cite web |title=تعرف على أسعد الشيباني وزير الخارجية السوري بعد خلع الأسد |trans-title=Meet Asaad Al-Shaibani, the Syrian Foreign Minister after Assad's Ouster |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/2024/12/21/%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%83%D9%84%D9%81-%D8%A8%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=ar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221155245/https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/2024/12/21/أسعد-الشيباني-المكلف-بحقيبة-وزارة |archive-date=21 December 2024 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.syria.tv/أسعد-الشيباني-وزيراً-للخارجية-في-الحكومة-السورية-الجديدة-ما-مهامه-السابقة؟?amp |title=أسعد الشيباني وزيراً للخارجية في الحكومة السورية الجديدة.. ما مهامه السابقة؟ |trans-title=Asaad al-Shaibani Appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the New Syrian Government: What are His Previous Roles? |date=21 December 2024 |website=Syria TV |language=ar |access-date=21 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222180042/https://www.syria.tv/أسعد-الشيباني-وزيراً-للخارجية-في-الحكومة-السورية-الجديدة-ما-مهامه-السابقة؟?amp |archive-date=22 December 2024 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=21 December 2024 |title=من وزير الخارجية السوري أسعد حسن الشيباني؟ |trans-title=Who is the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani? |url=https://www.enabbaladi.net/730208/%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A8/ |access-date=21 December 2024 |website=Enab Baladi |language=ar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221131045/https://www.enabbaladi.net/730208/من-وزير-الخارجية-السوري-أسعد-حسن-الشيب/ |archive-date=21 December 2024 |url-status=live}}

He moved with his family to reside in Damascus and graduated from Damascus University in 2009 with a degree in English Language and Literature from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.{{Cite web |url=https://www.zenomhamid.com/2024/12/blog-post_7.html?m=1 |title=من هو أسعد الشيباني وزير الخارجية في الحكومة السورية الجديدة |trans-title=Who is Asaad al-Shaibani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the New Syrian Government? |date=21 December 2023 |website=Journalist Zeno Yasaer Mhamid |language=ar |access-date=21 December 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250411165407/https://www.zenomhamid.com/2024/12/blog-post_7.html?m=1 |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}}

He earned a master's degree in Political Science and International Relations from Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University in 2022 and was pursuing a PhD in the same field until 2024. He is also completing the final stage of an MBA program from an American university.

Al-Shaibani was an active participant in the 2011 Syrian revolution. During the Syrian Civil War, al-Shaibani was a founding member of the Nusrah Front, the al-Qaeda branch in Syria, alongside Ahmed al-Sharaa, with whom he became close. He headed the Nusrah Front's foreign relations when the Nusrah Front transitioned into Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).{{cite news |title=Who Is Asaad al-Shibani, Syria’s new foreign minister? |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/who-asaad-al-shibani-syrias-new-foreign-minister |access-date=13 March 2025 |website=The New Arab |date=23 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223175609/https://www.newarab.com/news/who-asaad-al-shibani-syrias-new-foreign-minister |archive-date=23 December 2024 |url-status=live}}

During the war, al-Shaibani operated under aliases, including "Naseem", "Abu Aisha", "Abu Ammar al-Shami", "Hussam al-Shafi'i", and most notably "Zaid al-Attar". Before his current role, he participated in founding the Syrian Salvation Government in 2017, establishing and head its Political Affairs Administration. In this role, he engaged with representatives from the United Nations, major international organizations, and diplomatic officials.{{cite web |url=https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5093813-syrias-new-rulers-name-foreign-minister?_wrapper_format=html&page=5 |title=Syria's New Rulers Name Foreign Minister |date=21 December 2024 |access-date=27 February 2025 |website=Asharq Al-Awsat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103063732/https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5093813-syrias-new-rulers-name-foreign-minister?_wrapper_format=html&page=5 |archive-date=3 January 2025 |url-status=live}}

File:Foreign Secretary David Lammy visits Saudi Arabia (54261873821).jpg in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 12 January 2025]]

On 21 December 2024, al-Shaibani was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in the Syrian caretaker government formed following the fall of the Assad regime.

He immediately began shaping the foreign policy and diplomatic relations of the new government, which adopted a different approach from the previous Ba'athist regime.{{Cite web |url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=345599 |title=Al-Shaibani: Syria’s foreign policy aims at reassuring international community, gaining allies |date=30 January 2025 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130064414/https://sana.sy/en/?p=345599 |archive-date=30 January 2025 |url-status=live}} He also attended international meetings that the former government had been barred from due to the diplomatic isolation resulting from the Syrian civil war, which stemmed from the Ba'athist regime’s violent crackdown on the 2011 Syrian revolution.{{Cite web |url=https://en.majalla.com/node/293056/politics/syria-timeline-protests-war-displacement-isolation-andreintegration |title=Syria timeline: Protests, war, displacement, isolation and...reintegration |date=5 June 2023 |website=Al Majalla |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250411170320/https://en.majalla.com/node/293056/politics/syria-timeline-protests-war-displacement-isolation-andreintegration |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.commonspace.eu/analysis/analysis-new-syrian-government-moves-end-years-isolation-emphasising-inclusivity |title=Analysis: New Syrian Government moves to end years of isolation by emphasising inclusivity |date=8 January 2025 |website=CommonSpace |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250411170629/https://www.commonspace.eu/analysis/analysis-new-syrian-government-moves-end-years-isolation-emphasising-inclusivity |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}}

File:Secretary Rubio Meets with Syrian Foreign Minister (cropped).jpg in Antalya, Turkey, on 15 May 2025]]

Al-Shaibani undertook diplomatic visits to various countries, including Gulf states,{{Cite web |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syria-s-new-foreign-minister-makes-his-1st-visit-abroad-to-saudi-arabia-since-assad-s-ouster/3439868 |title=Syria’s new foreign minister makes his 1st visit abroad to Saudi Arabia since Assad’s ouster |date=1 January 2025 |website=Anadolu Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103201110/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syria-s-new-foreign-minister-makes-his-1st-visit-abroad-to-saudi-arabia-since-assad-s-ouster/3439868# |archive-date=3 January 2025 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syrian-foreign-minister-to-visit-qatar-uae-jordan-this-week-in-his-2nd-trip-abroad/3441456 |title=Syrian foreign minister to visit Qatar, UAE, Jordan this week in his 2nd trip abroad |date=4 January 2025 |website=Anadolu Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103230636/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syrian-foreign-minister-to-visit-qatar-uae-jordan-this-week-in-his-2nd-trip-abroad/3441456# |archive-date=3 January 2025 |url-status=live}} and most notably Turkey, with whom relations had been severed for nearly 14 years.{{Cite web |url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=344573 |title=Al-Shaibani: Syria and Turkey have begun a new history, and will work together to support security and stability |date=16 January 2025 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226070144/https://sana.sy/en/?p=344573 |archive-date=26 February 2025 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.iris-france.org/en/turquie-syrie-breve-anatomie-dune-relation-compliquee/ |title=Turkey – Syria: A Brief Anatomy of a Complicated Relationship |last=Billion |first=Didier |date=27 January 2025 |website=IRIS |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250411171106/https://www.iris-france.org/en/turquie-syrie-breve-anatomie-dune-relation-compliquee/ |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}} He also visited the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, during which he pledged that the Syrian government would destroy any remaining chemical weapons in the country.{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/syria-chemical-weapons-opcw-88e471100e0efc42b39c14c97beaf861 |title=Syria’s foreign minister makes landmark first visit to global chemical weapons watchdog |author=Mike Corder |date=6 March 2025 |website=Associated Press |access-date=12 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250308090310/https://apnews.com/article/syria-chemical-weapons-opcw-88e471100e0efc42b39c14c97beaf861 |archive-date=8 March 2025 |url-status=live}}

He also participated in key international forums such as the 2025 Riyadh meetings on Syria,{{Cite web |url=https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2240995 |title=New Syrian Administration's Foreign Minister Arrives in Riyadh |date=11 January 2025 |website=Saudi Press Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250702125947/https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2240995 |archive-date=2 July 2025 |url-status=live}} the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos,{{Cite web |url=https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/a-conversation-with-asaad-hassan-al-shibani-minister-of-foreign-affairs-of-syria/ |title=A Conversation with Asaad Hassan Al Shibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria |date=22 January 2025 |website=World Economic Forum |access-date=24 February 2025}} and the 2025 Munich Security Conference.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=346973 |title=Al-Shaibani meets several counterparts, UN representative, Kurdistan's Barzani in Munich |date=15 February 2025 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215154607/https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=346973 |archive-date=15 February 2025 |url-status=live}} He continues to work to rebuild relations with Western and global partners while consistently advocating for the lifting of sanctions on Syria.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/22/syria-foreign-minister-says-removing-sanctions-key-to-restoring-stability |title=Syria foreign minister says removing sanctions ‘key’ to restoring stability |date=22 January 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122211134/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/22/syria-foreign-minister-says-removing-sanctions-key-to-restoring-stability |archive-date=22 January 2025 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=347026 |title=Al-Shaibani: Sanctions imposed on Syria must be lifted |date=15 February 2025 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215223612/https://sana.sy/en/?p=347026 |archive-date=15 February 2025 |url-status=live}}

On 29 March 2025, a transitional government was formed, in which al-Shaibani maintained his position.{{Cite web |date=30 March 2025 |title=President al-Sharaa announces formation of the New Government: We are witnessing the birth of a new phase in our national process |url=https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=350809 |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330132130/https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=350809 |archive-date=30 March 2025 |url-status=live}} On 10 April 2025, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul visited Damascus and met with al-Shaibani. During the meeting, both sides signed a formal agreement to establish diplomatic relations, which included plans to open embassies and exchange diplomatic missions.{{Cite web |date=11 April 2025 |title=S. Korea establishes diplomatic ties with Syria in foreign policy milestone |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250410010100315 |access-date=11 April 2025 |website=Yonhap News Agency |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250411171613/https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250410010100315 |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=10 April 2025 |title=Syria, South Korea sign agreement to establish diplomatic relations |url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=351844 |access-date=10 April 2025 |website=Syrian Arab News Agency |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411020305/https://sana.sy/en/?p=351844 |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}} The agreement made Syria the last United Nations member state, outside of North Korea, to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea.{{Cite web |date=10 April 2025 |title=Syria, South Korea establish diplomatic ties, open embassies |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596586 |access-date=10 April 2025 |website=Arab News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250412145637/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596586/middle-east |archive-date=12 April 2025 |url-status=live}} On 15 May 2025, al-Shaibani held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Antalya, Turkey.{{cite news |title=Turkish, Syrian foreign ministers, US secretary of state hold trilateral meeting in Türkiye |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkish-syrian-foreign-ministers-us-secretary-of-state-hold-trilateral-meeting-in-turkiye/3569609 |website=Anadolu Agency |date=15 May 2025 |access-date=15 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250515181723/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkish-syrian-foreign-ministers-us-secretary-of-state-hold-trilateral-meeting-in-turkiye/3569609 |archive-date=15 May 2025 |url-status=live}} The meeting took place two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to lift sanctions on Syria and initiate the normalization of bilateral relations.{{cite news |author1=Yousef Saba |author2=Gram Slattery |author3=Pesha Magid |author4=Nafisa Eltahir |title=Trump says US to lift Syria sanctions, secures $600 billion Saudi deal |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-starts-gulf-visit-seeking-big-economic-deals-2025-05-13/ |website=Reuters |date=13 May 2025 |access-date=15 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250514154524/https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-starts-gulf-visit-seeking-big-economic-deals-2025-05-13/ |archive-date=14 May 2025 |url-status=live}}

• Foreign relations of Syria
• Politics of Syria
• Cabinet of Syria

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Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Damascus University alumni

Category:Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University alumni

Category:Foreign ministers of Syria

Category:Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham

Category:Al-Nusra Front members

Category:Syrian diplomats