Although the conference was called to chart the country’s future, the Kurdish-led militia that controls much of Syria’s northeast was not invited.

Syria faces major challenges, from rebuilding an economy and war-wrecked infrastructure to setting up a new constitution and justice mechanisms.

Syria has a "historic opportunity" to build itself anew, its interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Tuesday, addressing a national dialogue summit billed by Syria's Islamist rulers as a key milestone after decades of Assad-family rule.