Ahmed al-Sharaa became the first Syrian president in almost 60 years to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
“Syria has transformed from an exporter of crises into an opportunity for peace,” he said in New York.
After years of civil war under former ruler Bashar al-Assad, al-Sharaa’s transitional government is striving for diplomacy, stability, security and economic development, he said.
“Today, Syria is returning to its rightful place among the countries of the world.”
The last speech by a Syrian head of state to the UN plenary was delivered by then-Syrian president Nureddin al-Atassi in 1967.
Last December, al-Sharaa led a militia alliance to overthrow al-Assad and was appointed interim president of the country.
His appearance in New York marks his country’s official return to the international community, wrote the Washington Institute think tank.
Syria was long isolated and subject to sanctions during the civil war under al-Assad.
In Iraq, al-Sharaa, formerly known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, had once joined the terrorist network al-Qaeda and spent several years held captive by the US military there.
While he later renounced al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, there are still some doubts as to whether he has completely abandoned his extremist ideology.
The Arab Reform Initiative think tank commented that this was the first time that a sitting head of state subject to UN sanctions had personally appeared at its most important forum.
Since al-Sharaa’s appointment, observers have wondered whether he will establish a government for all Syrians, including minorities, as announced, or whether he could become a new authoritarian ruler.
Thousands of people have been killed in sectarian violence in Syria in recent months. There have also been accusations against the government security forces.