Denmark reopens embassy in Syria

The Danish embassy in Syria will be reopened later this year. This was announced today by Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen to the Foreign Policy Committee.

The embassy in Damascus has been closed to the public since 2012 as a result of the violent fighting during the Syrian civil war, but it was never formally shut down. Today, three locally employed staff members work in the building, which also houses offices for the other Nordic countries.

With the reopening, a Danish ambassador to Syria will be appointed. According to the foreign minister, a Danish presence is intended to strengthen the ability to influence developments in Syria in a positive direction.

-“With the reopening of the embassy in Syria, we can better influence developments in Syria in a positive direction. At the same time, we have a desire to increase cooperation with the Syrian transitional government on forced returns. I discussed this with the Syrian foreign minister when I visited Damascus in November, and we will now be better able to deliver on this with a Danish embassy in the country,” says Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy will also strengthen diplomatic cooperation with the Syrian transitional government and improve the conditions for dialogue with the UN and other partners regarding Danish humanitarian assistance and support for reconstruction. In 2025, Denmark’s development aid to Syria amounted to approximately DKK 660 million.

The reopening follows the government’s announcement on 5 December 2025 of opening new diplomatic representations in Albania and Argentina, as well as a consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, it was decided to close the embassy in Myanmar.