The President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Hadi Al-Bahra, and his accompanying delegation met with local dignitaries in the town of Marie in the Aleppo countryside to discuss the region’s situation and strategies for advancing the SOC’s vision for northern Syria.
Al-Bahra was accompanied by Vice President Abdel Majeed Barakat, Head of the Syrian Tribal Council, Jihad Marei, and several members of the SOC’s political committee and General Assembly.
Al-Bahra discussed the SOC’s efforts at political and field levels, addressing the complexities of the regional and international political landscape and its impact on the Syrian crisis. He emphasized the SOC’s collaboration with the Syrian Negotiations Commission to sustain attention on the Syrian file and push for the full implementation of UN resolution 2254, aiming to fulfill the Syrian people’s aspirations for freedom, dignity, and democracy.
Highlighting the importance of cooperation for northern Syria’s advancement, Al-Bahra emphasized strengthening judicial authority, achieving security and stability, and promoting investment to improve living standards and create job opportunities, facilitating the residents’ retention in their areas and enabling the voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees to their original homes.
Al-Bahra noted ongoing discussions within the SOC regarding empowering the Syrian interim government, asserting that this would aid in establishing state institutions in liberated areas and initiating a tangible organizational structure.
Addressing the recurring bread problem at the year’s onset, Al-Bahra attributed it to the Turkish AFAD organization halting flour provision for the initial two to three months annually. He explained that the Syria Recovery Trust Fund offers wheat grants to the Grain Foundation, affiliated with the Interim Government, in exchange for subsidized bread sales. He mentioned proposals to develop internal capabilities to address such shortages.
Local dignitaries in Marie highlighted deficiencies in government services and agencies, citing their detrimental effects on regional life. They underscored challenges related to the non-implementation of official decisions, overlapping powers between local councils and Syrian Interim Government Ministries, and the absence of centralized governance and hierarchical systems in government institutions.
Jihad Maraie, a member of the political committee and head of the Syrian Tribal Council, underscored the revolution and opposition forces’ efforts to coordinate actions for duty distribution and task integration.
Meanwhile, Ali Abdullatif Al-Najjar, a member of the local council in Marie, outlined financial constraints hindering service provision and urged the construction of a bakery by the interim government in Marie.
Salah Al-Khatib from the Directorate of Education discussed challenges in the educational sector, particularly regarding the multiplicity of certificate-issuing bodies, causing confusion. Al-Bahra assured that these concerns would be addressed with the interim government’s head and ministers.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
