Johan Forssell and Benjamin Dousa visit Syria and Lebanon

They met with Syrian and Lebanese government representatives, including Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asad Hasan al-Shaybani, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and representatives of civil society and religious minorities. Mr Dousa and Mr Forssell also met with representatives of international organisations and Christian communities. Swedish support to the two countries and migration-related issues were on the agenda for their discussions.

“What takes place in Syria is important to Sweden and the EU. We all have an interest in a peaceful and stable Syria. The visit gave us the opportunity to meet and listen to several representatives of the transitional government and civil society, and present our expectations of the new leadership. We were also able to initiate cooperation on issues that are important to us,” says Mr Dousa.

“Increasing returns from Sweden is a priority for our Government. This includes individuals who have been convicted of offences in Sweden and will be expelled. I welcome the fact that we now have a common view on these issues and can initiate cooperation with the Syrian Government on migration,” says Mr Forssell.

During their visit, Mr Dousa and Mr Forssell also met with representatives of UN bodies to learn their views on local developments. Through development assistance and Ministry of Justice projects, Sweden supports several UN organisations that work with humanitarian support, migration and returns in both Syria and Lebanon.