Effective Early Recovery in Syria and the Role of Civil Society

13 June 2023  -  Brussels, Belgium

"Effective Early Recovery in Syria and the Role of Civil Society" an event, organized by the National Agenda for the Future of Syria Programme (NAFS) at the ESCWA, took place on the sidelines of the Brussels VII Conference, a major gathering focused on supporting the future of Syria and the region.

The event was moderated by Dina Melhem, Programme Manager at NAFS, ESCWA. Richard Youngs, a Senior Fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at Carnegie Europe, was the event's main speaker. Key discussants included Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj, a partner at LUGARIT, and Karam Karam, Regional Advisor for Governance, Peacebuilding, and Transition at NAFS, ESCWA.

The event aimed to explore the crucial role of civil society in Syria's early recovery process. Discussions revolved around the strategies and challenges in rebuilding Syrian society and infrastructure amidst ongoing conflict and displacement.

This event was part of the Brussels VII Conference, organized by the European Union on 14th and 15th June 2023. The Conference aims to mobilize international support for a comprehensive and credible political resolution to the Syrian conflict, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254. It emphasizes the urgent need for humanitarian aid and resilience-building efforts for the Syrian people, both within Syria and in neighboring countries.

The Brussels VII Conference includes a Day of Dialogue followed by a Ministerial meeting, bringing together civil society representatives, decision-makers, and operational partners to discuss Syria's future and the region's humanitarian and resilience challenges.

In line with the overarching objectives of the Brussels Conferences, Brussels VII addresses critical issues affecting Syrians in Syria and neighboring countries, including communities hosting Syrian refugees. The Conference seeks to renew political and financial support for Syria’s neighbors, particularly Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, as well as Egypt and Iraq.

Numerous side events, like the one we participated in, are part of the Brussels VII Conference. These events are initiated and organized by civil society organizations, participating countries, the United Nations, and international organizations, highlighting the collaborative effort in addressing the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Header Photo

A Syrian pigeon keeper releases one of his birds off the roof of his home in Raqa, on 13 March 2021. Handed down through the generations, the practice of domesticating pigeons stretches across borders of the MENA region. Photo © Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP - via Getty Images.  Link >

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