Latest news with #Syria-owned
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
EU official says €175 million Syria recovery package 'clear message' of support
Visiting EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said Thursday (June 5, 2025) that a 175 million euro package for war-torn Syria was a "clear message" of support for its reconstruction. Ms. Suica announced the package in Damascus on Wednesday (June 4, 2025), saying it would focus on sectors including energy, education, health and agriculture, helping rebuild Syria's economy, support its institutions and promote human rights. "I came here... with a clear message that we are here to assist and help Syria on its recovery," Ms. Suica told AFP in an interview on Thursday (June 5, 2025). "We want that reconstruction and recovery will be Syria-owned and Syria-led," she said, on the first visit by an EU commissioner since a transitional government was unveiled in late March. "We want to see Syria to be a regular, normal, democratic country in the future," she added. Syria has been navigating a delicate transition since Islamist-led forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. The European Union announced last month it would lift economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help its recovery. "This is a pivotal moment — a new chapter in EU-Syria relations," Ms. Suica said on X, calling her meeting with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa "constructive". Like Syria's neighbours, Western governments are keen to steer it onto the road to stability after the war triggered an exodus of millions of refugees. Refugee returns should be "safe, voluntary and dignified", Ms. Suica said. The EU has not designated Syria as a safe country for returns "because we don't want to push people to come here and then they don't have a home", she said. The EU last month sanctioned three Syrian militia groups and two of their leaders for serious human rights abuses over their alleged involvement in sectarian massacres in the costal heartland of the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, in March. "We cannot pronounce one part of Syria safe and another not," Ms. Suica said, noting that designating Syria a safe country needs "unanimity among 27 European member states". She said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani would attend a ministerial meeting involving almost a dozen Mediterranean countries in Brussels on June 23. A statement released on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) said that the European Commission was "actively pursuing the integration of Syria into several key initiatives with its Mediterranean partner countries". "We want to see Syria united" and inclusive, Ms. Suica told AFP. "This is a process. It will happen step by step."
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
EU official says 175 mn euro Syria recovery package ‘clear message' of support
DAMASCUS: Visiting EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said Thursday that a 175 million euro package for war-torn Syria was a 'clear message' of support for its reconstruction. Suica announced the package in Damascus Wednesday, saying it would focus on sectors including energy, education, health and agriculture, helping rebuild Syria's economy, support its institutions and promote human rights. 'I came here... with a clear message that we are here to assist and help Syria on its recovery,' Suica told AFP in an interview on Thursday. 'We want that reconstruction and recovery will be Syria-owned and Syria-led,' she said, on the first visit by an EU commissioner since a transitional government was unveiled in late March. 'We want to see Syria to be a regular, normal, democratic country in the future,' she added. Syria has been navigating a delicate transition since Islamist-led forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. The European Union announced last month it would lift economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help its recovery. 'This is a pivotal moment -- a new chapter in EU-Syria relations,' Suica said on X, calling her meeting with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa 'constructive'. Like Syria's neighbours, Western governments are keen to steer it onto the road to stability after the war triggered an exodus of millions of refugees. Refugee returns should be 'safe, voluntary and dignified', Suica said. The EU has not designated Syria as a safe country for returns 'because we don't want to push people to come here and then they don't have a home', she said. The EU last month sanctioned three Syrian militia groups and two of their leaders for serious human rights abuses over their alleged involvement in sectarian massacres in the costal heartland of the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, in March. 'We cannot pronounce one part of Syria safe and another not,' Suica said, noting that designating Syria a safe country needs 'unanimity among 27 European member states'. She said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani would attend a ministerial meeting involving almost a dozen Mediterranean countries in Brussels on June 23. A statement released on Wednesday said that the European Commission was 'actively pursuing the integration of Syria into several key initiatives with its Mediterranean partner countries'. 'We want to see Syria united' and inclusive, Suica told AFP. 'This is a process. It will happen step by step.'
Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
EU official says 175 mln euro Syria recovery package 'clear message' of support - Region
Visiting EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said Thursday that a 175 million euro package for war-torn Syria was a "clear message" of support for its reconstruction. Suica announced the package in Damascus Wednesday, saying it would focus on sectors including energy, education, health and agriculture, helping rebuild Syria's economy, support its institutions and promote human rights. "I came here... with a clear message that we are here to assist and help Syria on its recovery," Suica told AFP in an interview on Thursday. "We want that reconstruction and recovery will be Syria-owned and Syria-led," she said, on the first visit by an EU commissioner since a transitional government was unveiled in late March. "We want to see Syria to be a regular, normal, democratic country in the future," she added. Syria has been navigating a delicate transition since Islamist-led forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. The European Union announced last month it would lift economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help its recovery. "This is a pivotal moment -- a new chapter in EU-Syria relations," Suica said on X, calling her meeting with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa "constructive". This is a pivotal moment — a new chapter in EU-Syria relations for the benefit of all Syrian people. After lifting economic sanctions, we are proposing a €175 million recovery package to help rebuild the economy, create jobs, support institutions, promote accountability & human… — Dubravka Šuica (@dubravkasuica) June 4, 2025 Like Syria's neighbours, Western governments are keen to steer it onto the road to stability after the war triggered an exodus of millions of refugees. Refugee returns should be "safe, voluntary and dignified", Suica said. The EU has not designated Syria as a safe country for returns "because we don't want to push people to come here and then they don't have a home", she said. The EU last month sanctioned three Syrian militia groups and two of their leaders for serious human rights abuses over their alleged involvement in sectarian massacres in the costal heartland of the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, in March. "We cannot pronounce one part of Syria safe and another not," Suica said, noting that designating Syria a safe country needs "unanimity among 27 European member states". She said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani would attend a ministerial meeting involving almost a dozen Mediterranean countries in Brussels on June 23. A statement released on Wednesday said that the European Commission was "actively pursuing the integration of Syria into several key initiatives with its Mediterranean partner countries". "We want to see Syria united" and inclusive, Suica told AFP. "This is a process. It will happen step by step." Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
EU official says 175 mn euro Syria recovery package 'clear message' of support
EU headquarters in Brussels (AP) Damascus: Visiting EU commissioner for the mediterranean Dubravka Suica said Thursday that a 175 million euro package for war-torn Syria was a "clear message" of support for its reconstruction. Suica announced the package in Damascus Wednesday, saying it would focus on sectors including energy, education, health and agriculture, helping rebuild Syria's economy, support its institutions and promote human rights. "I came here... with a clear message that we are here to assist and help Syria on its recovery," Suica told AFP in an interview on Thursday. "We want that reconstruction and recovery will be Syria-owned and Syria-led," she said, on the first visit by an EU commissioner since a transitional government was unveiled in late March. "We want to see Syria to be a regular, normal, democratic country in the future," she added. Syria has been navigating a delicate transition since Islamist-led forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. The European Union announced last month it would lift economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help its recovery. "This is a pivotal moment, a new chapter in EU-Syria relations," Suica said on X, calling her meeting with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa "constructive". Like Syria's neighbours, Western governments are keen to steer it onto the road to stability after the war triggered an exodus of millions of refugees. Refugee returns should be "safe, voluntary and dignified", Suica said. The EU has not designated Syria as a safe country for returns "because we don't want to push people to come here and then they don't have a home", she said. The EU last month sanctioned three Syrian militia groups and two of their leaders for serious human rights abuses over their alleged involvement in sectarian massacres in the costal heartland of the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, in March. "We cannot pronounce one part of Syria safe and another not," Suica said, noting that designating Syria a safe country needs "unanimity among 27 European member states". She said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani would attend a ministerial meeting involving almost a dozen Mediterranean countries in Brussels on June 23. A statement released on Wednesday said that the European Commission was "actively pursuing the integration of Syria into several key initiatives with its Mediterranean partner countries". "We want to see Syria united" and inclusive, Suica told AFP. "This is a process. It will happen step by step."
Voice of America
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Inclusivity, economic woes, and security challenge Syria post-Assad
Syria's top diplomat says the country has gained freedom while managing to avoid another civil war, but observers point to major challenges ahead, such as the dire economy, uncertain security, and including Syria's diverse population in decision-making and governance. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani told the Munich Security Conference last weekend that the country's new leadership will set in place a government that reflects the will of the people. 'The Syrian people freed themselves by themselves. We are now putting the steps and principles to have a system that represents the people to be Syrian-led and Syria-owned. The dictatorship will not be repeated again,' he said. Al-Shibani said the country's Islamist interim leaders want 'to bring the whole Syrian society with us to prevent any actions that will break this stability and our achievement.' Bassam Said Ishak is president of the Syriac National Council of Syria, based in northeast Syria and representing Syriac Christians. He told VOA it is important for Christians and all minorities in a post-Assad government to be represented and respected. Ishak spoke about a national dialogue conference scheduled for next month. 'My worry is that they wind up with a conference that it does not magnify the real voices of these diverse Syrians. That's serious because this has been the traditional way. Assad did it this way. We just need a viable representation of everybody, whether it's a Kurd, Syriac, Druze, Alawi, Ismaili. We just need to hear these voices. We need to hear people who are different, of different opinion and think of real solutions,' he said. Syrian American lawyer Dima Moussa, who is a member of the Syrian National Coalition, an organization that promotes constitutional reforms, said the caretaker government is applying the Islamist principles it enforced when it ruled just Idlib province to the rest of the country. She told the Washington-based Arab Center recently the interim leaders have 'not yet completely come out of that mentality,' but she expressed optimism for the future. 'Inclusivity is probably one of the most important issues on the table today. And if it is not carefully and diligently worked on, especially at the national conference stage, it can set up for the reoccurrence and failure of many problems in the future. There have been some positive steps. They're getting lost amid the hardships of the living conditions and some incidents in some of the more sensitive areas that historically had sectarian tensions which were amplified during the last 14 years,' said Moussa. Some observers are concerned about a lack of clarity on how the new government will attempt to heal the still-divided country. Questions remain over Syria's future relations with Russia and Iran, and stalwart Assad supporters, as it pursues reintegration in the Arab fold. Meanwhile, Syria's economy is in tatters after nearly 14 years of civil war, widespread corruption under the Assad regime and sanctions by the West, including on its banking sector. U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told the Munich Security Conference the Syrian interim government faces 'enormous humanitarian challenges' as 17 million refugees and internally displaced people try to return home. 'They need to see there if a future in Syria, and they need to see it quickly,' Pedersen warned.
