Experts from the Syrian interim government and the European Union have held technical workshops to discuss stepping up support for service projects and revamping state institutions in the liberated areas.
Representatives of the Syrian interim government, the Syrian Coalition, the European Union, local councils, the Kurdish National Council, and civil society organizations as well as Syrian experts participated in the workshop which was held in the Turkish city of Gaziantep.
Head of the Syrian interim government Jawad Abu Hatab said that the government is working hard to revamp the Syrian institutions and restore the provision of services to the civilian population in the liberated areas.
Abu Hatab stressed the importance of supporting projects in the sectors of education, agriculture, justice, and security. He also pointed to the need to establish law courts adopting Syrian law.
The interim government continues to do its best to restore life to normality in the liberated areas despite losing a number of staff workers who have been killed in bombardment by the regime and allies in the liberated areas, Abu Hatab said.
The workshop included two sessions. The first was dedicated to assessing the interim government, its plans, as well as cooperation with its partners, most notably local councils and organizations. The session also considered ways to ratchet up support by the European Union for projects developed by the interim government.
The interim government presented its vision and goals and an overview of its structure, ministries, and directorates distributed across Syrian territory. It also gave an overview of the achievements it has made over the past seven months and the challenges facing it. The meeting also discussed the identification and distribution of the roles and responsibilities of the government and its partners.
Abu Hatab pointed out that the interim government is seeking to increase the number of staff members from the current number of 30,000 to 100,000 employees. The government is currently planning to focus on development projects by the implementation of projects with its partners, including local councils and civil society organizations. Abu Hatab referred to efforts by some groups to hinder the work of the interim government and to replace the state.
Secretary-General of the Syrian Coalition Abdul Ilah Fahd praised the role played by European Union in supporting the Syrian revolution and the Syrian people’s aspirations from the very beginning. He called for increased support for the interim government as it seeks to reduce the suffering of the Syrian people. Fahd stressed that the Coalition will continue with the political battle in parallel with the military and the media battles against the Assad regime.
Representative of the Kurdish National Council Muslim Muhammad called upon the European Union to find a serious approach for a political solution in Syria and to play and effective role in the reconstruction of Syria, including the Kurdish areas, to build a pluralistic, democratic and parliamentary system of government.
Representatives of the European Union reiterated the EU’s readiness to cooperate with the Syrian interim government. They stressed the importance of empowering the interim government and the preservation of state institutions.
The second session of the workshop included technical discussions of ways to increase support for the sectors of education, health, and agriculture as wells as local administration. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Office)