Syrian Interim President Appoints Ibrahim Abdulmalik Olabi as Permanent UN Envoy
Interim Syrian President appoints Ibrahim Abdulmalik Olabi as UN envoy. The UK-educated human rights lawyer, previously an OHCHR advisor, will represent the opposition-led government. The move signals a diplomatic push at the UN.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Tuesday issued Decree No. (142) of 2025 appointing Ibrahim Abdulmalik Olabi as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and accrediting him as Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
Olabi made his first official appearance in the transitional Syrian government last week during President al-Sharaa’s meeting with Fernando Gonzalez, Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In that meeting, he sat alongside Syria’s Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shibani, underscoring his role within the new diplomatic team.
Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and holding both British and German citizenships, Olabi is regarded as one of the most promising young lawyers in the field of human rights. Now in his thirties, he has built an impressive career with a particular focus on international law.
Olabi completed his early education at King Faisal Schools in Riyadh before pursuing higher studies in the United Kingdom. He obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from the University of Manchester, specializing in international law and security, where he was named “Student of the Year” in both programs. He later earned a master’s degree in public policy from Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government.
His professional journey includes advisory roles at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Bar Association, and membership on the board of the Syrian British Council.
Beyond his academic and advisory work, Olabi engaged directly on the ground in Syria, particularly in Aleppo, where he trained more than 550 activists from local organizations on sensitive issues such as forced displacement, torture, UN human rights mechanisms, and humanitarian aid access. He also witnessed critical events, including the 2017 chemical weapons attack.
Olabi has been invited to high-profile international conferences in Geneva, Brussels, Washington, and London, and has given testimony at major forums including Chatham House and Amnesty International. His expertise brought him into direct dialogue with world leaders, including the heads of state of Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as with the UN Secretary-General.
His voice has been amplified through appearances on global media outlets such as CNN and BBC, contributing to debates on international law and Syria’s humanitarian crisis.
Olabi’s academic and professional excellence has been widely recognized. He received the Excellence Award in Education from the late Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, in addition to the Outstanding Student Award at both the undergraduate and master’s levels at the University of Manchester.
With this appointment, the transitional Syrian leadership signaled its intention to reshape the country’s international engagement, placing a young, globally recognized human rights lawyer at the forefront of its diplomacy at the United Nations.
