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Syria’s Shibani says the state will have sole control of weapons
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo that collecting weapons under state control is a sovereign right. Shibani said armed groups had been incorporated into the army, the trilateral roadmap in Sweden remained in effect and he hoped Syria would join Arab funds and programs in 2027.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani announced at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo that weapons in the country would be brought under state control.
Shibani said this measure was a sovereign right aimed at protecting Syrians and supporting the country’s reconstruction. He said armed groups had been incorporated into the army and that the national army was also being restructured on the same principle.
Syrian institutions and army are being restructured
Shibani said national institutions had been reorganized to focus on protecting the borders and establishing sovereignty. He recalled that the Syrian Defense Ministry had announced on May 17, 2025, that all military units had been incorporated into the ministry’s structure. The ministry had also set a period for other military groups to join.
Shibani said significant transformations had taken place in Syria over the past 20 months and that the country had moved from a period of war and destruction to reconstruction. He said separatist projects had been pushed back and national unity strengthened.
Trilateral roadmap is being implemented in Sweden
One of the issues raised by Shibani was the trilateral roadmap established between Syria, Jordan and the United States. He said implementation of the plan, which aims to end the crisis and ensure stability in southern Syria, was continuing.
The roadmap announced on September 16, 2025, provides for the delivery of humanitarian aid, the restoration of basic services, compensation for those affected and the facilitation of displaced people’s return. Investigating violations, holding those responsible accountable, conducting the reconciliation process and preserving Syria’s unity and sovereignty are also among the plan’s objectives.
The plan also includes establishing Syrian-Jordanian-American mechanisms to monitor implementation, as well as Washington’s exploration of security understandings with Israel regarding southern Syria in consultation with Damascus.
Israeli attacks and demand over the Golan
Shibani said they were insisting on a diplomatic solution to end Israel’s attacks, detentions and advances into Syrian territory. He said Damascus continued to demand a full return to the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement and the restoration of Syrian sovereignty over the occupied Golan.
Shibani said he welcomed the Arab League statement condemning Colombia’s decision to recognize Israel’s annexation of the Golan. He said Colombia’s Foreign Ministry had announced on August 10 that it recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. Damascus had said the Golan was an integral part of Syrian territory.
Expectations for Arab funds and education
Shibani said he hoped Syria would be included in Arab funds and programs in 2027. He added that officials from the Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development had discussed cooperation opportunities in Kuwait on September 1 in line with reconstruction priorities.
The Arab fund financed a $1 million project in July to rehabilitate water infrastructure in earthquake-affected areas of Idlib. The project, implemented with the United Nations Development Programme, aims to reach 78,998 people.
Abdulkadir al-Hassuriye, governor of the Central Bank of Syria, also announced in October that an agreement had been reached for Syria to join BUNYA, the Arab Monetary Fund’s cross-border payments platform.
Shibani also said that hundreds of thousands of children and young people had returned from camps to schools and universities and that work was underway to repair educational institutions. He said Syria would become a historic success story in the coming years.
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