Where Germany stands
A conversation with Stefan Schneck

For Germany the fall of Assad carries particular significance, not only due to Berlin’s role as a major donor but also because the country hosts nearly a million Syrians, the majority of whom arrived as refugees. Over 160,000 of them have recently acquired German citizenship. While Berlin has already mobilised additional funds for immediate support and is eyeing large-scale infrastructure projects, it says it is conditioning its support on an inclusive transition. 

To learn more about how Germany attempts to balance zest for action and a principled political stance, Syria in Transition spoke with Stefan Schneck, the German Special Envoy for Syria.

According to Germany’s eight-point plan for Syria, the government is collaborating closely with international partners to define a common approach to HTS. Can you share the latest developments on this effort? Will this common approach be formalised in a joint statement or a similar agreement? 
Schneck: After decades of suppression, unspeakable crimes and a devastating civil war, throwing off the yoke of the Assad regime is a great opportunity for a better future for the Syrian people. Nonetheless, we are aware of all the insecurities and dangers ahead of us.

A central element of our eight-point plan for Syria is to contribute to preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and preventing any external interference, while at the same time exploring possibilities to support a Syrian-led, peaceful and inclusive transition process for the benefit of all Syrians and the whole region. International coordination is key to achieve both these aims together. 

Over the last weeks, Germany has been in close consultation with its international and regional partners to reach consensus and a joint approach towards Syria and its new transitional government. In mid-December 2024, these efforts have culminated in a first ministerial meeting of the Aqaba Joint Contact Group on Syria, which includes Syria`s Arab neighbor states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the Arab League, as well as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Union.

In their joint statement these countries and organisations have affirmed principles for a coordinated approach towards Syria, which include support for Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty, the commitment to a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transitional political process, as well as an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government in Syria. A subsequent meeting of this group in Riyadh has re-affirmed these principles. The latest meeting of the Aqaba Group in Paris last week, which was attended bythe Foreign Minister of Syria`s transitional government al-Shaibani, resulted in a common understanding to coordinate support of all international partners more closely. Foreign Minister Baerbock underlined in Paris our readiness to step up our support, especially in areas like transitional justice and the destruction of chemical weapons.

How does Germany navigate the reality that Syria’s interim president remains designated as a terrorist by the UN Security Council? Beyond immediate pragmatism, do you believe that an honest and transparent discussion of Sharaa’s designation—and what it means for international engagement—is necessary for Syria to have a genuine restart? Could acknowledging and addressing this issue be considered part of the truth-seeking that is essential for reconciliation and lasting peace?
Schneck: We have taken note of the appointment of Mr al-Sharaa as interim president and remain ready to work with the transitional government to support the stabilisation of Syria in the interest of its citizens. We think that trust in the renewed state institutions is essential for stability, security and prosperity in Syria. Major decisions about Syria`s future political, judicial or economic system should therefore be taken after inclusive and comprehensive consultations to gain the acceptance of the Syrian people. This is why starting an inclusive transitional political process as soon as possible is so important. We welcome the announcement of a preparatory committee for this dialogue last week, but also underlined in our talks with Syria`s transitional government in Paris and Munich over the last days, that the future dialogue itself as well as a new Syrian government have to include all relevant religious and ethnic groups and also Syrian women.

Considering the new situation in Syria, it would be an expected procedure for the Security Council to adopt a resolution establishing an integrated UN mission and updating the stipulations for an inclusive, credible, and legitimate transition in line with the new realities. In your view, when would be the right time to do that? 
Schneck: As the joint statement of the Aqaba Group from December 2024 underlines, UNSCR 2254 formulates general principles for a political settlement of the war in Syria, which are still broadly applicable. The United Nations can offer valuable resources and expertise to assist in the transition process, help with the most urgent humanitarian needs on the ground and coordinate international efforts for the reconstruction of Syria. We encourage the transitional government to make use of these offers. 

If you don’t consider an integrated mission to be important at this point, do you believe that in order to fulfil the role you described, the UN needs a transition that addresses its credibility crisis? Many Syrians feel that it should not have a role in the transition — largely because of the widespread perception, rightly or wrongly, that it promoted the narrative that Assad had won and people should just accept that and move on. To ensure the UN does not become a liability for Syrians and member states seeking a genuine political transition, do you believe the UN Country Team and the political mission require reform?
Schneck: It is of course up to the Syrian transitional government and the Syrian people to decide which kind of international assistance would be helpful in this challenging transitional period. As said, we think that the United Nations with all their institutional capacities and technical expertise can provide support in multiple areas, from humanitarian assistance to economic reconstruction or state-building. Of course, the circumstances and challenges have changed massively in the last months. We recommend that the Syrian transitional government and the United Nations engage in an open dialogue to put their cooperation on new foundations.

How does Germany intend to use its considerable soft power influence (financial aid, technical expertise, large Syrian diaspora, cultural exchange) to support recovery, reconstruction, and reconciliation efforts? Can we expect a comprehensive strategy in this regard?  
Schneck: In our eight-point plan we have expressed our readiness to play a role in reconstruction in order to create prospects for the people in Syria. Over the last weeks, several branches of the Federal Government like the Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and others have reached out to the Syrian transitional government, NGOs and other international and regional partners to identify areas and projects for concrete cooperation and support. These include economic recovery, reconstruction and humanitarian aid, but also other fields where Germany has special expertise and resources such as reconciliation, dealing with the past, transitional justice, electricity, health-care or the elimination of remaining stockpiles of chemical weapons.

We stand ready to support the Syrian people in all these areas as soon as the situation on the ground as well as the political developments make this possible. Essential for us is that Syria`s transitional government is taking concrete steps to ensure security for all people in Syria, and to open an inclusive political dialogue about the future of the country which includes all relevant groups and communities.

Germany has emphasised that its support is conditional and that it will assess the new authorities based on their actions. Do the steps taken by the caretaker government so far inspire confidence on your part, especially regarding the issue of inclusivity, and what are Germany’s red lines?
Schneck: The Syrian transitional government has at different occasions announced its priorities for the transitional period, which contain an inclusive political process, the establishment of state institutions, economic recovery, and a process to ensure justice and accountability for the crimes of the past. We welcome these announcements and realise of course that their fulfillment will take time. Nevertheless we think that not only the international community, but mainly the Syrian people themselves are waiting for concrete steps to translate announcements into reality. We are looking forward to the inclusion of all strands of society  into the upcoming National Dialogue. This is not only a yardstick for our future commitment, but also a necessity to reach sustainable peace in Syria and true unity, which is an important goal of the transitional government.

Could you clarify the areas of responsibility between you, as the German Special Envoy for Syria, and Tobias Lindner, who was appointed Special Coordinator for Syria on 11 December 2024? How do your roles complement each other in addressing Syria’s challenges?  
Schneck: Minister of State Tobias Lindner as Special Coordinator for Syria and myself as Special Envoy are working in complementary roles to advance international coordination towards Syria, as well as implementing the different fields of action outlined in our eight-point plan for Syria. Mr. Lindner is the principal political representative of our Foreign Minister in international and bilateral formats addressing Syria and has recently travelled to Jordan and Iraq to discuss support for the political transition process and the re-establishment of lasting stability in the country. 

On a technical level, I myself have recently been to Syria to receive first-hand impressions of the situation and the needs on the ground and possibilities to re-open our diplomatic presence in Syria. Back from Syria, I am now working mainly on intra-government coordination of our policy towards Syria, as well as the re-opening and development of bilateral contacts with Syria`s transitional government, civil society and the notable Syrian community in Germany.

Having worked on the Syria file for many years, are there aspects of the political situation in Syria, or Germany’s role in addressing it, that you feel are widely misunderstood or misrepresented in public discourse? Are there key points you would like to clarify?
Schneck: Many observers and even experts considered Syria in the last years a static case with no real change in sight, even after a decade of civil war. And many called on us to recognise this “reality” and “normalise” our relationship to the Assad regime as several others did. But we stayed our course, we thought the regime was far weaker than it seemed and that Assad had no future in Syria. What happened there over the last few weeks proved us right. Now it is important to continue with this approach, to be clear in our expectations but also in our offers – that we can and want to be a partner for a better future for all Syrians.