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Al-Ahram Weekly
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Syrian Dialogue outlooks - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
The Syrian National Dialogue Conference in Damascus brought together Syrians from across the country and abroad for discussions on the country's future The Syrian National Dialogue Conference (SNDC) convened on 24-25 February at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, having been postponed several times in the face of widespread criticism over the selection of the SNDC preparatory committee, the preparation process, the agenda, and the prospective invitees. Around 600 Syrian figures were invited who had been selected based on diversity, professional qualifications, and other criteria set by the preparatory committee that consisted of individuals close to Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and some civil society activists. The committee had earlier visited Syria's various governorates, meeting with local community representatives to solicit views on the proposed agenda for the conference before sending out invitations. However, this occurred only 24 hours ahead of time, and some Syrian opposition figures abroad, particularly in Europe and the US, were forced to decline their invitations due to the impossibility of making travel arrangements at such short notice. Others managed to participate, with some praising the organisers' efforts despite the time constraints and Syria's lack of experience with such conferences. The SNDC concluded with an 18-point statement that in addition to establishing the guiding principles of the transitional phase in Syria, reaffirmed the country's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and condemned the Israeli incursions into Syrian territory. It underscored the need to ensure the state's monopoly of legitimate arms and to build a unified army. It called for the rapid drafting of an Interim Constitutional Declaration, the formation of an Interim Legislative Council, and the establishment of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution. The participants also reaffirmed the need to strengthen freedom, guarantee respect for human rights, promote the roles of women and youth, and protect the rights of children and people with special needs. The statement reaffirmed the principles of equal citizenship, equal opportunity, peaceful coexistence, social harmony, and the rejection of discrimination and violence, and it underscored the need for transitional justice and for fair criteria for any political exclusion in this framework. It did not contain the terms 'democracy' or 'rotation of power,' although it did call for 'political development that guarantees the participation of all segments of society.' In this spirit, it called for the reform of state institutions, building a dynamic civil society, educational development, and fostering a culture of dialogue. It urged a focus on economic development and stimulating investment and appealed for the lifting of international sanctions on Syria to facilitate reconstruction and the return of displaced persons and refugees. The predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), excluded from the SNDC, hastily organised a counter conference, generating an alternative narrative to that of the Transitional Government in Damascus. The SNDC preparatory committee argued that the event it had organised was intended for Syria's political, cultural, and intellectual elites, as well as legal experts and activists, saying a separate mechanism under the Ministry of Defence would engage with the militant factions. However, talks began between the SDF and Damascus two months ago. Meanwhile, critics of the official SNDC charged that it had been hastily organised and sidelined major figures, especially those abroad. Two days, the time allotted for the SNDC, was not sufficient for the meaningful exchange of ideas to take place, they said. Some said that the final statement had been drafted in advance, presumably according to Syrian Transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's dictates, and that the attendees were there merely to give the SNDC the stamp of popular legitimacy. The SNDC coincided with an EU meeting in Brussel to discuss the fate of EU sanctions on Syria, and it appears that the EU was reassured by its results as it approved the lifting of sanctions on the Syrian energy, transport, and construction sectors, as well as on Syrian Airlines and four Syrian banks. The EU also eased restrictions on the Syrian Central Bank. Sanctions remained in place against certain dual-use goods and equipment with civilian and military applications. While there were criticisms, many commended the SNDC despite some organisational flaws. It had brought together representatives of a broad spectrum of ideological, regional, and sectarian backgrounds, they said, and the discussions, divided into the six themes of civil society and political participation, transitional justice, constitutional development, institutional reform, personal freedoms, and the economy, had been uniformly serious. But while some sessions were described as constructive, others were reportedly hampered by sharply different outlooks, especially between Salafis and more secular-oriented participants. Critics of the final statement said that it had confined itself to loosely worded general principles and there had not been opportunities for debate on contentious issues. However, a general view was that this was still an early stage in the political transition in Syria and that establishing common ground should take priority so as not to jeopardise national unity. Syria's Transitional Government had another reason for wanting to strengthen the image of national unity because of the Israeli incursions into southern Syria. While the SNDC was convening in Damascus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his intention to turn the whole of southern Syria into a demilitarised zone, stating that he would not allow the entry of the new Syrian Army into the area. In mid-February the Transitional Government Ministry of Defence announced that it had reached an agreement with southern factions in Syria for their integration into the new Syrian Army. They would be incorporated into four brigades, with a total of 15,000 fighters recruited from local populations and garrisoned in Daraa, western Daraa, Quneitra, and Suwayda, it said. Following a recent sectarian flare up in Jaramana, a suburb of Damascus, Netanyahu declared that the Israeli Army was ready to 'defend' Syria's Druze community, especially in Jaramana, which lies 10 km south of the capital. Tensions in Jaramana spiked when members of a local armed group who were manning an unauthorised checkpoint abducted and killed two security personnel affiliated with the government. This led to a clash between the local militants and government security forces, who were driven out of the local police headquarters. According to some observers, the government's security forces have acquired a reputation for aggressive and heavy-handed policing in minority areas. There have been reports of arbitrary executions targeting Ismailis and Alawites in rural Hama, Homs, and Latakia in recent weeks, which have sparked fears in other minority majority areas, aggravated tensions between the authorities and the minority communities, and fuelled an aversion to government security personnel. The government has dismissed the events as 'isolated incidents' and vowed to bring those responsible to account. Syria's Transitional Government is working to rally Arab and international support to compel Israel to withdraw from southern Syria and respect the conditions of the 1974 Armistice Agreement. However, many Syrians warn that Netanyahu will continue to exploit incidents like those in Jaramana and therefore urge the new authorities to work harder for national unity. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
18-02-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Next steps in the Syrian transition - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
Multiple meetings have been taking place in Syria and abroad, setting out next steps in the country's transition The new administration in Syria appears to have realised that promises to foreign diplomats and media alone will not convince the West to lift the sanctions on the country. It has therefore decided to take steps to persuade the sceptics that the transition is headed in the right direction. Last week occasioned a flurry of gatherings between representatives of the transitional government and diverse components of Syrian society at home and abroad. Taking place in Dubai, Paris, Munich, and AlUla in Saudi Arabia, and in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Idlib, Tartus, and Latakia in Syria, the events focused on various political, diplomatic, security, and economic themes. On 11 February in Dubai, Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Al-Shibani met with around 50 Syrian business magnates. The aim was to build trust in the transition and attract investments from the Syrian expatriate community before the sanctions are lifted. Although the meeting was closed, parts of it were leaked to the press. Al-Shibani told participants that on 1 March a new Syrian cabinet would be formed and that it would come as a 'surprise' in terms of its diversity and inclusiveness, traits that do not characterise the current cabinet. He also said that work on the country's Interim Constitutional Declaration was proceeding as quickly as possible. This will govern the country until a permanent constitution is drafted and ratified by the people. He proceeded to outline a five-point plan for rebuilding the Syrian economy. First, the UN will soon launch a fund for the large-scale reconstruction of the country that will be financed by the major powers and other economic entities. Second, another fund will be dedicated to major national development enterprises that will be financed by shares owned by Syrian expatriates. Third, a fund will be established to offer facilitated loans for small enterprises. Syrians will be able to own shares in this project too, Al-Shibani said. Fourth, there will be a forum for Syrian businessmen and investors to help set the priorities for the economy in Syria during the transitional phase. Finally, the new cabinet will work to build partnerships with the Arab countries to ensure sustainable energy supplies and create an investment-friendly climate. On 13 February, Paris hosted an international conference on Syria. The participants, which included 20 Arab and Western powers including the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, pledged to support Syria during the transitional phase to ensure it does not revert to a hub for terrorism and regional anarchy. France pledged around €50 million to support stability efforts in Syria. In his speech to the attendees, French President Emmanuel Macron urged respect for Syrian sovereignty and called for a nationwide ceasefire, especially in the north and northeast of the country and a halt to foreign intervention in the south, the latter referring to the expansion of the Israeli occupation of southern Syria. He stressed the need to integrate the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the new Syrian Army in order to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts. He concluded with an appeal for 'support for the process undertaken by the Syrian transitional government in their pursuit to fully address the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom and dignity and contribute to the building of a free, inclusive, united, sovereign, stable, and peaceful Syria that is fully integrated in its regional and global environment,' according to a French Foreign Ministry statement. The Syrian foreign minister met with Macron and the foreign ministers of Germany, Canada, and Jordan, as well as the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, on the sidelines of the Paris Conference. Syria was also on the agenda of the three-day Munich Security Conference held in the southern German city between 14 and 16 February. A session on 15 February attended by the Syrian foreign minister and several figures from the anti-Al-Assad opposition abroad, addressed the question of sanctions. One of the participants, Farah Al-Atassi, a prominent civil opposition figure, intercepted some sceptical questions directed at Al-Shibani, saying that the international community must stop imposing conditions and start clarifying what support it can offer to ensure a successful political and economic transition in the country. Al-Shibani reported that the integration of the militias into the new Syrian Army was proceeding successfully despite certain difficulties. The new army was the cornerstone of rebuilding peace and security in Syria, he said, adding that the sanctions on Syria must be lifted to prevent the transition process from failing. Al-Shibani then flew to AlUla in Saudi Arabia to attend the Conference for Emerging Economies on 16 February, where he stressed the need to reconnect the Syrian Central Bank to the SWIFT system for international financial transfers and for the new Syrian government to be represented at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Participants at the AlUla meeting also discussed Syria's new economic vision and ways to accelerate the lifting of economic sanctions. While in Paris, Al-Shibani held a separate meeting with prominent members of the Syrian community in France, including Burhan Ghalioun, who chaired the Syrian National Council in 2011 and George Sabra, who headed the Syrian National Coalition in 2013. The meetings related to a meeting that Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa held in Damascus on 12 February with members of the Syrian National Coalition and Syrian Negotiation Commission, which may soon dissolve themselves preparatory to participating in the forthcoming National Dialogue Conference. The meetings signalled the Syrian administration's openness to other political components. Up until this point, it had only dealt with local minority community and religious leaders. Also on 12 February, Al-Sharaa launched the preparatory committee for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference. The seven-member committee consists of a mixture of individuals close to Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and Syrian revolutionary activists. Two of the members are women, one of whom, Hind Kabawat, also took part in the Munich Security Conference, where she stressed the importance of the new administration's steps towards pluralism. Five members of the committee attended an inaugural session in Homs in Syria, the purpose of which was to gather views on the subjects that should take priority on the dialogue's agenda. The committee plans to tour the Syrian provinces to solicit the views of community leaders on the priorities and rules of the National Dialogue Conference before sending out invitations. Meanwhile, Al-Sharaa began his first domestic tour, starting with meetings with local leaders in the Idlib and Aleppo provinces on 15 February. He then headed to Tartus and Latakia on the Mediterranean Coast. This area is known as a stronghold of the minority Alawite sect, to which the ousted Al-Assad family is affiliated. Al-Sharaa's visit there was at once a challenge to those who question his ability to extend the new government's control over the area and an invitation to communication and trust-building. The visit was also a sign of Al-Sharaa's confidence in his popularity and the ability of the new security apparatus to protect him in an area where his forces have encountered some difficulties asserting their control after the overthrow of former president Bashar Al-Assad. In addition to building public confidence in the new military and security institutions, the visit should help promote Al-Sharaa's legitimacy and standing among other sectors of the Syrian population, which many believed would be resolute in their opposition to him. These diplomatic and political activities throw into relief the long-hoped-for sea change that is unfolding in Syria. No longer is the country a source of grim headlines about death, destruction, and displacement. Instead, the news coming out of Syria today is about steps being taken towards stability, reconstruction, and economic revival. It is encouraging that the government's representation abroad is shifting from an ideological and sectarian monotone to diversity, which raises hopes that the new cabinet to be unveiled on 1 March will indeed be more broadly inclusive and representative, including of elements of the Syrian opposition abroad and other expatriates. Similarly heartening is the fact that the military presence is ceding space to civil society in the various diplomatic, political, and economic activities that are paving the way for reconstruction and recovery. Foreign Minister Al-Shibani's meetings abroad, the outreach tour of the National Dialogue Preparatory Committee, and President Al-Sharaa's overtures to regions traditionally hostile to him are concrete signs of the new Syrian administration's readiness to engage with a broader spectrum of Syrian society. This should build international confidence in the transitional government and accelerate the lifting of sanctions and the influx of aid and investment. * A version of this article appears in print in the 20 February, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Short link:
