In a historic move, Italy has announced the appointment of a new ambassador to Syria for the first time since 2012.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the decision on Friday, marking a significant step in Italy’s diplomatic relations with the war-torn nation.
Italy’s diplomatic mission in Damascus has been inactive since the Italian government recalled all its staff in 2012 due to the escalating civil war.
With this new appointment, Italy becomes the first member of the Group of Seven (G7) to re-establish its diplomatic presence in Syria.
According to the Italian newspaper Repubblica, Tajani stated, “The Italian government has chosen an ambassador to send to Syria, signaling our readiness to reopen the embassy in Damascus.”
Stefano Ravagnan, currently the Special Envoy for Syria at the Italian Foreign Ministry, has been appointed to the ambassadorial post. Tajani mentioned that Ravagnan is expected to assume his duties soon.
This decision marks a pivotal change in Italy’s foreign policy towards Syria, which has been largely dormant for over a decade. Italy had suspended its diplomatic activities and evacuated its embassy staff from Damascus in 2012.
Currently, six European Union embassies remain operational in Damascus, representing Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.
However, none of Italy’s G7 partners—including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany—have reappointed ambassadors to Syria.
