A delegation of Abkhazian officials have arrived in Syria to participate in the 62nd Damascus International Fair. The group included Foreign Minister Oleg Bartsits, Economy Minister Teimuraz Mikvabia, and Culture Minister Daur Kove. Abkhazia reportedly was invited to participate in the fair by the Syrian government and President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
During the trip, the delegation also visited Abkhazia’s embassy in Syria, the Abkhazian news agency Apsnypress reported on Tuesday.
There were scant mentions of the visit in Syrian media, although there was a single reference to Abkhazia’s participation in the fair in the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.
Under former President Bashar al-Assad, a key ally of Moscow, Syria was one of the handful of countries to have recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence.
Since a–Assad’s downfall in December 2024, there has been widespread speculation that Syria would withdraw its recognition as the new government seeks to redefine its relations with Moscow.
However, as of August 2025, there have been no such moves, and al-Sharaa’s reported invitation of the Abkhazian delegation provides further hints that the status quo may remain in place.
In June, Bartsits met with his Syrian counterpart Assad al-Shaibani in Damascus, where they discussed developing trade via the sea.
For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.
Nate Ostiller
