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Germany's Merz Says Berlin Will Work With Syria to Return Refugees
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 30, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 30, 2026
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Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Syrian interim President Ahmed al‑Sharaa in Berlin that Germany will collaborate with Syria to facilitate the return of up to 80 % of the roughly 900,000 Syrians in Germany over the next three years, prioritizing those without valid residency or with criminal
Germany, Syria to Cooperate on Refugee Return and Country Reconstruction
Germany and Syria's Joint Efforts on Refugee Return and Reconstruction
By James Mackenzie
Chancellor Merz's Statements on Refugee Return
BERLIN, March 30 (Reuters) - Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday Germany and Syria would work together to return hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, who he said had an important part to play in rebuilding their country.
Speaking after a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Berlin, Merz said many Syrian refugees had made a major contribution in Germany but that most wanted to return home.
The Role of Refugees in Syria's Reconstruction
"They will play an important role in Syria following years of destruction of businesses, schools, nurseries and hospitals," he told a joint news conference.
Expected Numbers and Priorities
He said around 80% of Syrians in Germany, where some 700,000-800,000 have been seeking asylum, were expected to return to their home country over the next three years.
The initial priority would be "those who no longer have a valid residence rights," he said, adding that this would especially apply to criminal offenders.
Government Policy and Political Context
Merz's coalition government imposed tougher controls when it took power last year, as support for the anti-immigration AfD party surged in the wake of former Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to admit around 1 million asylum seekers from countries including Syria and Afghanistan.
Support for Reconstruction and Bilateral Cooperation
Merz said Germany wanted to support the reconstruction process in Syria and was working with the government in Damascus on helping those who wanted to return.
"Over the past few weeks, we have drawn up an ambitious joint work programme for reconstruction and return, which is now being implemented," he said.
Syrian President Al-Sharaa's Response
Al-Sharaa said Syria would never forget how Germany had opened its doors to refugees during the civil war and said the two countries were restoring their partnership.
"We are working with our friends in Germany to establish a model of circular migration that allows Syrian talents to contribute to rebuilding their country," he said.
(Reporting by James Mackenzie, Editing by Friederike Heine, Miranda Murray, William Maclean)
Key Takeaways
- •Merz outlined a joint reconstruction and return programme with Syria to begin immediately, targeting criminal offenders and those without legal residence first (elpais.com).
- •Germany hosts around 900,000 Syrian nationals; the 80 % return projection applies to this population (apnews.com).
- •Naturalisation, not returns, has driven down the number of Syrian nationals in Germany; as of November 2025, about 940,401 still held Syrian citizenship (visahq.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Germany's Merz says Berlin will work with Syria to return refugees
1What agreement did Germany and Syria reach about refugees?
Germany and Syria agreed to work together on returning hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and supporting Syria's reconstruction.
2How many Syrian refugees are expected to return from Germany?
Around 80% of the 700,000-800,000 Syrian refugees in Germany are expected to return to Syria over the next three years.
3What is the priority for refugee returns?
The initial priority will be returning those who no longer have valid residence rights, especially criminal offenders.
4How is Germany supporting Syrian reconstruction?
Germany has developed a joint work program with Syria focusing on reconstruction and establishing a model of circular migration.
5Who attended the talks about refugee returns in Berlin?
The talks were attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
