They actually deliver impressively well, says Minister Espen Barth Eide.
The Norwegian also visited Syria in January 2025, shortly after rebel forces led by al-Sharaa overthrew Bashar al-Assad. The new regime, which has ties to the US and the EU, has delivered impressively, Eide believes. He adds that he is not naive and that “a lot can go wrong”, but believes that the outside world should give al-Sharaa a chance.
"I think everyone who meets him notices that he is very intelligent. Also strategic. He has a very long-term view of where he wants to be and how to get there," he says.
He has authority in the room. He doesn't use more words than he needs to.
