Geneva Hosts UN-Backed Meeting on Decentralization in Syria

31 January 2024  -  Geneva, Switzerland

In a meeting organized by the United Nations on January 31, 2024, stakeholders from across political and civil society spectrums convened to deliberate on the pressing issue of decentralization in war-torn Syria. The meeting, part of ongoing efforts to forge a unified approach towards Syria's future governance, saw a presentation by Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj, a partner at LUGARIT and a member of various platforms engaged in the discourse on Syria's decentralization.

Decentralization in Syria, a subject of intense debate among political and civil society actors, has spurred a wide array of opinions and proposals aimed at addressing the country's post-conflict reconstruction and governance. Amidst these divergent views, the UN's Special Envoy for Syria has actively sought to bring together a broad spectrum of civic actors and experts to facilitate dialogue and understanding.

Mr. Hallaj's presentation, grounded in the collective work of the UN ESCWA's Working Group (WG) on decentralization, emphasized the need for normative parameters to guide the long-term process of decentralization beyond the immediate pre-conceived models being advocated by different political protagonists. The WG has reviewed the main challenges and established basic principles across four key reform pillars: Political, Administrative, Economic, and Sociocultural.  For each pillar there a range of principles that could provide entry points for debate and may provide a vision for how to formulate future constitutional, legal as well as procedural reforms in the future. 

The meeting also featured discussions on papers and research prepared by diverse platforms, highlighting the importance of an inclusive and informed debate on the future of Syria's governance structure. With the Civil Society Support Room (CSSR) and the Women’s Advisory Board of the Special Envoy to Syria in attendance, alongside other key stakeholders, the event underscored the collective effort required to navigate the complexities of decentralization and pave the way for sustainable peace and reconstruction in Syria. The outcomes of the meeting, held under Chatham House Rules, are expected to shape further dialogues and contribute significantly to the formulation of future constitutional, legal, and procedural reforms.

Header Photo

Palais des Nations, a night view of the " Allée des Drapeaux " of the United Nations in Geneva. 14 February 2014. Photo © UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré - via Flickr.  Link >

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