French President Emmanuel Macron has extended an official invitation to Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit France in the coming weeks, according to a statement released by the Syrian president’s office on Wednesday. 

According to the office, al-Sharaa also received a congratulatory phone call from Macron, who praised his assumption of the presidency and Syria’s liberation from Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

During the call, Macron expressed support for the transitional phase and highlighted Paris’s efforts to lift sanctions on Syria. Al-Shara and Macron also discussed Syria’s security challenges and the importance of cooperation to maintain stability, the statement added.

Under Assad’s regime, diplomatic relations between Damascus and Western nations, including France, were strained due to allegations of human rights abuses and the use of chemical weapons.

In a parallel development, Syria’s General Authority for Land and Marine Ports announced on Wednesday that it had signed a new contract with French shipping giant CMA CGM to operate the Port of Latakia. 

The agreement, seen as a step toward reintegrating Syria into the global economy, reportedly settles outstanding liabilities from a previous contract and introduces new operational terms and mechanisms. 

CMA CGM has yet to comment on the development.