Syria's Sharaa to attend G7 summit in France, sources say

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, marking Syria's first participation in a summit of the group since the forum ⁠was founded in 1975. An 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.

The source, a Syrian official, ⁠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.