Sharaa, Syria’s president, spoke to The Economist on January 31st in Damascus. The conversation has been translated and lightly edited for clarity. The Economist: Maybe you could start by giving me a sense of your vision for Syria.

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was declared president for a transitional phase on Wednesday, tightening his hold on power less than two months after he led a campaign that toppled Bashar al-Assad.

He had spent the day with the leaders of Syria’s myriad armed factions, trying to persuade them to disband. Over seven weeks after the fall of Damascus, the fate of these groups is still uncertain. His aides claim that all militias will be dissolved and then absorbed into a new national army.

In his first televised speech after being appointed Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa on Thursday outlined a roadmap for the country’s future following the fall of the Assad regime. His plans include the formation of two committees – one to select a smaller parliament and another to prepare for a national dialogue conference,

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to Ahmed Al Sharaa on the occasion of assuming the presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic for the transitional period.