Lebanon appoints Henry Kastoun as new ambassador to Syria amid restored ties

Lebanon has appointed veteran diplomat Henry Kastoun as its new ambassador to Syria, marking a renewed step in official relations between Beirut and Damascus after years of diplomatic stagnation.

Kastoun, who previously served as Lebanon's ambassador to Liberia and as chargé d'affaires in Mali, presented his credentials to Syrian authorities in June. His appointment was formally confirmed this week as part of a wider round of diplomatic reshuffles announced by the Lebanese government.

A seasoned diplomat with a long career in Lebanon's foreign service, Kastoun began his work at the foreign affairs ministry and has held various administrative and overseas postings.

Syrian media outlets reported that his appointment to Damascus had marked the most senior posting of his career, reflecting Beirut's confidence in his ability to navigate the sensitive and evolving relationship with Syria.

President Joseph Aoun received Kastoun and two other newly appointed ambassadors - George Fadel to Poland and Wael Hashem to South Korea - at the Baabda Presidential Palace on Friday.

According to the presidency, Aoun stressed the importance of "strengthening bilateral relations between Lebanon and the countries where the ambassadors are accredited" and urged them to prioritise the needs of Lebanese expatriates abroad.

Kastoun's appointment represents Lebanon's first ambassadorial posting to Syria in more than a decade and comes amid a broader thaw in relations between the two countries following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024.

Lebanon's Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said this week that the two neighbours were "close to restoring diplomatic relations,” describing the current phase as "a chance to rebuild those ties on new foundations based on equality, mutual respect, and reciprocity, without one imposing guardianship over the other".

Mitri told Lebanese state television that relations between Beirut and Damascus were "unequal and a source of grievance for most Lebanese" during the past five decades, but were now being "rebuilt on a clean slate".

Following Assad's ouster, Damascus has yet to name a replacement for its former envoy Ali Abdul Karim Ali, who served under the previous regime.

Before the new appointments, coordination between the two states largely occurred through the Syrian–Lebanese Higher Council, a body established during Syria's military presence in Lebanon that managed political, security, and economic matters.

The council's role sharply diminished after Syrian forces withdrew in 2005 and was formally suspended earlier this month, marking the symbolic end of that era.