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World Reaction to End of Assad Rule in Syria

(FILES) Syrian president Bashar al-Assad gestures as he delivers a speech at the Elysee Palace in Paris on December 9, 2010, after sharing a working lunch with his French counterpart during a two-day official visit to France. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) Syrian president Bashar al-Assad gestures as he delivers a speech at the Elysee Palace in Paris on December 9, 2010, after sharing a working lunch with his French counterpart during a two-day official visit to France. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP)
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World Reaction to End of Assad Rule in Syria

(FILES) Syrian president Bashar al-Assad gestures as he delivers a speech at the Elysee Palace in Paris on December 9, 2010, after sharing a working lunch with his French counterpart during a two-day official visit to France. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) Syrian president Bashar al-Assad gestures as he delivers a speech at the Elysee Palace in Paris on December 9, 2010, after sharing a working lunch with his French counterpart during a two-day official visit to France. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP)

Following are reactions from around the world to events in Syria. Syria's army command notified officers on Sunday that President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year authoritarian rule has ended, a Syrian officer who was informed of the move told Reuters, following a rapid offensive by the opposition that took the world by surprise.
US PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
"President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners," the White House said in a statement.
US PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP
"Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer," Trump posted on X. "Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success."
ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANTONIO TAJANI
"I am following with concerned attention the evolution of the situation in Syria. I am in constant contact with our embassy in Damascus and with the office of the Prime Minister. I have called an emergency meeting at 10:30 at the Foreign Ministry", Tajani said on X.
UN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR SYRIA GEIR PEDERSEN
Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen underscores the clear desire expressed by millions of Syrians that stable and inclusive transitional arrangements are put in place, a statement said.
He urged all Syrians to prioritize dialogue, unity, and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights as they seek to rebuild their society, adding he stands ready to support the Syrian people in their journey toward a stable and inclusive future.
PHILIPPINES' DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Philippines calls on all concerned parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further violence, to avert further casualties and deaths of civilians.
We express concern regarding the situation of our Filipinos in Syria and advise them to take the necessary precautions and stay in contact with the Philippine Embassy in Damascus.

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Arab World

Lebanese President Faces Domestic, Foreign Challenges

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
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Lebanese President Faces Domestic, Foreign Challenges

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun poses for a picture with his family at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS

The election of a new president in Lebanon does not mean the country has come out of the economic and political crises which have gutted it for years. Yet Thursday’s vote marks the beginning of a new phase that carries many challenges for the president and the upcoming government.

It is Joseph Aoun’s responsibility now to appoint a prime minister following binding parliamentary consultations and then form the Cabinet together with the PM.

According to observers, Aoun’s term should carry a roadmap to salvage the country, and a clear plan to address crises and domestic and foreign challenges.

However, there is no magic wand to solve Lebanon’s entire crises.

Instead, Aoun needs a unified working team that should draft a clear ministerial statement that reflects the President’s inaugural speech and his pledge of a “new era” for Lebanon.

“The president's speech constitutes a detailed program for governance. However, his program needs a cabinet capable of implementing it,” former Minister Ibrahim Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Najjar described the new President as an honest, clean and courageous Lebanese man.

“His election must be followed by the formation of a bold cabinet with new faces, capable of working and making achievements,” he said.

“The Lebanese people expect President Aoun to change the quota-based mentality of politicians. They hope his term will help remove old political figures, who are rooted in the Lebanese quagmire,” the former minister noted.

Former MP Fares Souaid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Aoun’s first task is to implement the Constitution and the National Accord document.

“In the early 1990s, the Constitution was no longer being implemented due to the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. In 2005, the Constitution was again ignored because of Iranian arms.”

Therefore, Soueid said, the Lebanese eagerly expect this new era to constitute a real opportunity for the implementation of both documents.

For years, Lebanon has failed to properly implement its Constitution and UN resolutions, mainly because some political parties had considered their implementation as “a target against their so-called resistance.”

“With the election of President Joseph Aoun, Lebanon has opened a blank page that could meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people, and write a new chapter in the country’s history,” Najjar said.

According to Soueid, Aoun has a task to return Lebanon to its Arab identity. “This is slowly beginning to show through the decline of Iranian influence in the region,” he said.

Also, Soueid said, the new President should mend Lebanon’s relations with the international community by implementing all UN resolutions.

Addressing Parliament and Lebanese people with an acceptance speech, Aoun on Thursday vowed that the Lebanese authorities will have the monopoly on arms and will be committed to a strong state that will extend its sovereignty over the entire territory.

“This is in line with UN resolutions, which if implemented, will bring Lebanon back to the Arab and international scene,” Soueid said.