Syria rejects Germany’s deportation calls, says diaspora is a ‘strategic asset’

On 2026-04-02, Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani rejected Germany’s deportation proposals for Syrians and warned against forced returns. He described the diaspora as a “strategic resource” and said Syria was working with partners to create conditions for voluntary return. The remarks were made in the context of Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Berlin and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s comments on returns.