Sharaa will be the first leader of Syria to go to a UN meeting since 1967

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has arrived in New York to participate in the UN General Assembly meetings, marking the first attendance of a Syrian president since 1967, according to a report from the state news agency early on Monday.

Sharaa, a former al Qaeda leader who once had a $10 million bounty on his head, achieved a significant diplomatic victory in May when he received recognition from U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in Riyadh.

The U.S. later removed the majority of sanctions on Syria, and the Trump administration expressed its backing for Sharaa’s initiatives to unify and stabilize the nation.

Sharaa is set to deliver his inaugural address at the General Assembly, which commences its 80th session on Tuesday.