ISTANBUL

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani said Tuesday that he will represent his country at the World Economic Forum, marking the first Syrian official to attend the prestigious event.

"I will be honored to represent Syria for the first time in its history at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland," Shaibani said on his X account.

"We will convey to the world our development vision for Syria’s future and the aspirations of our great people," he added.

The Davos Forum opened on Monday under the theme: "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" and will continue until Jan. 24

Syria's participation in the forum reflects the economic transformations that the new Syrian administration is trying to apply for openness to the world after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last month.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar