Western allies and Arab nations gather in Paris to discuss Syria's future after the fall of Bashar Assad, with concerns over the US role and commitment to aid.
Displaced Syrian children play outside the Sarmada Health Center, which is now closed due to the suspension of US support for several organizations in northwestern Syria, in Sarmada district, north of Idlib city, Syria, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.
PARIS—Western allies and Arab countries are gathering in Paris on Thursday for an international conference on Syria to discuss the country’s future after the fall of former Syrian president Bashar Assad and amid uncertainty over the United States’ commitment to the region. It’s the third conference on Syria since Assad was ousted in December, and the first since President Donald Trump’s administration took over in the US. Trump’s controversial decision to freeze foreign assistance has raised concerns in Syria, a country that had depended on hundreds of millions of dollars in aid from the US and now left in ruins by a civil war. The Trump administration is pulling almost all USAID workers out of the field worldwide, all but ending a six-decade mission meant to shore up American security by fighting starvation, funding education and working to end epidemics. While many Syrians were happy to see the rule of Assad come to an abrupt end in December, analysts have warned that the honeymoon period for the country’s new rulers may be short-lived if they are not able to jumpstart the country’s battered economy. An end to the sanctions imposed during Assad’s time will be key to that, but sanctions are not the only issue.More aid is crucial to achieve a peaceful reconstruction during the post-Assad transition. The country needs massive investment to rebuild housing, electricity, water and transportation infrastructure after nearly 14 years of war. The United Nations in 2017 estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion, while some experts now say the number could reach at least $400 billion. With few productive sectors and government employees making wages equivalent to about $20 per month, Syria has grown increasingly dependent on remittances and humanitarian aid. But the flow of aid was throttled after the Trump administration halted US foreign assistance last month. The effects were particularly dire in the country’s northwest, a formerly rebel-held enclave that hosts millions of people displaced from other areas by the country’s civil war. Many of them live in sprawling tent camps. The freeze on USAID funding forced clinics serving many of those camps to shut down, and nonprofits laid off local staff. In northeastern Syria, a camp housing thousands of family members of Islamic State fighters was thrown into chaos when the group providing services there was forced to briefly stop work. A workshop bringing together key donors from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, the United Nations and key agencies from Arab countries will be held alongside the conference to coordinate international aid to Syria.In 2019 during his first term, Trump decided on a partial withdrawal of US troops form the northeast of Syria before he halted the plans. And in December last year, when rebels were on their way to topple Assad, Trump said the United States should not “ dive into the middle of a Syrian civil war.” Now that Syria’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa is trying to consolidate his power, the US intentions in the region remain unclear. A French diplomatic official confirmed the presence of a US representative at the conference, but said “our understanding is that the new US administration is still in the review process regarding Syria, it does not seem (the US position) will be clarified at that conference.” The official spoke anonymously in line with the French presidency’s customary practices. The commander of the main US-backed force in Syria recently said that US troops should stay in Syria because the Islamic State group will benefit from a withdrawal. Since Damascus fell on December 8 and Assad fled to Moscow, the new leadership has yet to lay out a clear vision of how the country will be governed. The Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS—a former al-Qaida affiliate that the EU and U.N. consider to be a terrorist organization—has established itself as Syria’s de facto rulers after coordinating with the southern fighters during the offensive late last year. French organizers said the three main goals of the meeting, which is not a pledging conference, are to coordinate efforts to support a peaceful transition, organize cooperation and aid from neighbors and partners, and to continue talks on the fight against impunity. The conference takes place at ministerial level. Syria’s interim foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani has been invited and it will be his first visit to Europ
SYRIA PARIS CONFERENCE BASHAR ASSAD US FOREIGN AID HUMANITARIAN CRISIS POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MMFF Chief Advocates for National Event Status to Address Theater Distribution IssuesAtty. Don Artes, chairman of the MMDA and MMFF, proposes elevating the annual film festival to a national event to address concerns over theater assignments and potentially transfer its governance to a national government agency.
Read more »
PBEd backs reforms in teachers’ development to address education challengesThe Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) expressed strong support for proposed Senate amendments to the Philippine Teacher Professionalization Act of
Read more »
Biden Warns 'Soul of America' Remains at Stake in Farewell AddressPresident Biden delivered a farewell address to the nation, emphasizing that the 'soul of America' is still at stake. He highlighted the progress made during his term, but acknowledged the ongoing challenges facing the country. The speech came amidst a polarized political climate and Trump's imminent return.
Read more »
ICRC President Calls for Respect for IHL and Answers for Missing in SyriaDuring a three-day visit to Syria, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric emphasized the importance of respecting international humanitarian law (IHL) and providing answers for families of the missing in fostering reconciliation and stability. She visited Aleppo and Idlib, highlighting the urgent humanitarian needs and the need to protect critical infrastructure.
Read more »
Biden Warns of 'Oligarchy' and 'Tech-Industrial Complex' in Farewell AddressIn his farewell address, President Biden issued stark warnings about the rise of an 'oligarchy' among the ultra-wealthy and a burgeoning 'tech-industrial complex' that he believes pose threats to American democracy.
Read more »
Biden warns in farewell address that 'oligarchy' of ultrarich in US threatens future of democracyWASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation Wednesday to deliver stark warnings of an 'oligarchy' of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and of a 'tech-industrial complex' that is infringing on Americans' rights and the future of democracy.
Read more »