Germany proposes repatriating 801,000 Syrians over 3 years, and Al-Sharaa presents a “circular migration” approach.”

The German Chancellor announced Friedrich MerzOn Monday, he said he was seeking to return 801,300 Syrians residing in Germany, whose number exceeds 900,000, to their homeland, while Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said his country was working in cooperation with the German government on a program that would allow Syrians to contribute to the reconstruction of their homeland without giving up the lives they had built in Germany.

These statements were made during the Syrian president's visit. Ahmed Al-Shara' To Germany.

Mertz confirmed that the two sides are working together on the issue of the return of Syrian refugees in Germany to their country, adding during a press conference on the sidelines of al-Sharaa's visit to Berlin“We are working together to enable Syrian women and men to return to their homeland.”.

Return plan

In the long term, Mertz said that over the next three years, approximately 801,000 Syrians currently residing in Germany will return to their homeland, noting that the majority of Syrians who sought refuge in Germany did so during the rule of the ousted president. Bashar al-Assad They want to return to their country to rebuild it and live there in safety, freedom and dignity.

The president addressed al-Sharaa, saying, “These people are welcome here,” expressing his appreciation for al-Sharaa’s expression of that as well, and added: “Perhaps this was the main message of your visit today to Berlin.”.

Mertz expressed his belief that political stability andeconomic growth In Syria, two things will be crucial to ensuring the success of reconstruction.

He added, “Those who return to…” Syria Bringing with them new experiences and ideas drawn from their years in Germany and around the world.”.

Mertz also announced Germany's intention to "support" the reconstruction of Syria after the war, noting that a delegation from the German government would visit Damascus For this purpose in the next few days, but he indicated that these joint projects will remain subject to progress in strengthening the foundations of the rule of law in Syria, according to him.

Germany is home to the largest Syrian community in European UnionWith more than a million individuals, most of whom arrived at the peak of the migration wave recorded in 2015/2016 during the War In Syria.

Circular Migration Program

For his part, the Syrian president explained during the press conference that his country is working in cooperation with its partners, the German government, “to establish a circular migration program that allows Syrian talents to contribute to the reconstruction of their homeland without giving up the lives they have built in Germany, for those of them who wish to stay.”.

He pointed out that “Syria, with its civilizational dimension and important location, represents an ideal opportunity for a Syrian-European partnership led by Germany,” and that “it is returning to the world and Europe today with greater strength and a firmer will.”.

He stated that “it is impossible to talk about recovery and reconstruction without talking about the Syrians in Germany,” adding, “We have 1.3 million Syrians, including 6,000 doctors working in German hospitals, and more than a quarter of a million people who contribute to the German economy.”.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Berlin on Sunday for his first official visit to Germany. During his visit, he held a roundtable meeting with representatives of German companies, in the presence of foreign ministers. Asaad Al-ShaibaniThe economy, Muhammad Nidal Al-Shaar, and energy Mohammed Al-Bashirand emergencies Raed Al-Saleh.

Al-Sharaa began his first visit to Berlin on Monday, where he was received by the German president. Frank-Walter Steinmeier At the Bellevue Presidential Palace.

The companies presented proposals in a number of economic sectors, including energy, finance, security, digital transformation, as well as construction, healthcare and logistics. During the visit, a number of memoranda of understanding were signed between the Syrian side and a number of participating companies.

Germany reopened its embassy in Damascus on March 25, 2025, after a 13-year closure.

Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies