Syria President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Attend G7 Summit in France

Syria will attend the G7 summit in France next month as a guest nation and be represented by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, three sources familiar with the matter said. The invitation to Sharaa to attend the June 15-17 summit in Évian-les-Bains, southeastern France, was hand-delivered to Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh, who attended the group's financial talks earlier this week in Paris, one of the sources said.

Syria's participation in the talks would likely focus on the country's role as a potential strategic hub for supply chains following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the strait has been largely halted since the Iran war erupted at the end of February, rattling the global economy.

Syria, emerging from its 14-year civil war as an ally of the West, is seeking to rebuild an economy shattered by years of conflict and sanctions. While most sanctions imposed during former Presidents Hafez and Bashar al-Assad's rule have since been eased, attracting foreign investment and restoring normal banking ties have proven slower and more difficult than many officials had hoped.

Since 1975 This marks Syria's first participation in a summit of the group since the forum was founded in 1975. As many nations have already dropped terrorism designations and lifted sanctions since the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, this news marks the next step in Syria's reintegration into the global economy and geopolitical frameworks.