Syria’s new administration appointed several figures with close links to Türkiye, which hosted millions of Syrians during the civil war. Among them is the foreign minister and new governor of Aleppo.
Türkiye-graduated Syrian’s role in the reconstruction of their war-torn country and increasing bilateral ties are of “great significance,” said the head of Türkiye’s Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) on Saturday.
“Following the end of the 61-year Baath regime in Syria, the country has entered a historic transformation process,” Abdullah Eren said on X. YTB provides scholarships to international students, a major incentive that made the country an education hub for students from across the globe in the past decades.
Stressing that education support and regional cooperation provided by Türkiye will constitute one of the important building blocks in rebuilding Syria, he said: “In this regard, Syrian graduates who received education in Türkiye taking up critical roles in the reconstruction of their country is of great significance both for the brother Syrian people and for Türkiye-Syria relations.” He also expressed satisfaction with the appointment of Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, as the interim government’s foreign minister and the appointment of Azzam al-Gharib as the governor of Aleppo.
Al-Shibani completed a master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.
Born in 1987 in Hasakah, al-Shibani moved to the capital with his family, where he graduated from Damascus University in 2009 with a degree in English language and literature. He was involved in the Syrian uprising in 2011, joining the grassroots movement that called for freedom and challenged the regime’s authority.
He completed his master’s degree in 2022, according to the institution. His master’s thesis was on “The Impact of the Arab Uprisings on Turkish Foreign Policy Towards Syria Between 2010-2020.” The university said al-Shibani is currently continuing his doctoral studies. Al-Gharib holds a master’s degree in Islamic Studies from Bingöl University in eastern Türkiye.
Both Shibani and Gharib “will take important steps that will shape the future of Syria,” Eren added.
This is not the first time a Turkish university alumni has been appointed as a minister in his home country. Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, incumbent defense minister of Somalia, holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Political Science Department of Ankara University, which trained countless prominent figures in Turkish bureaucracy, from governors to ministers.