15 May 2024

The Syrian Negotiation Commission held on Wednesday a workshop with Syrian business communities in Gaziantep. The workshop aimed at briefing them on the latest developments in the Syrian political process and the international positions in that regard. In addition, the SNC explained its work to push the political process forward in accordance with international resolutions especially Geneva Communique and UNSCRs 2118 and 2254.
SNC President, Dr. Bader Jamous, took part in the workshop alongside with the head of the Syrian Interim Government, Abdulrahman Mustafa, and a number of other SNC members, the SIG Finance and Economy Minister, Dr. Abdulhakim al-Masri, managers of border crossings and members of chambers of commerce in the north of Syria as well as some development, economy and industry experts.

During the workshop, the SNC President offered a briefing on the activities and meetings which the SNC is engaging in at the Arab and international levels as well as the efforts it makes in order to keep the Syrian file on the radar of the international community as a matter of priority as well as the pressures that could be put to push the political process based on international resolutions. He further stressed the importance of joining efforts of the political powers and other revolution forces and institutions, unions, syndicates, civil society organizations and business community to achieve complementarity in addressing the problems facing Syrians.
Dr. Jamous pointed out that the roots of the humanitarian crisis in Syria are political adding that any further delay in reaching a political solution would necessarily exacerbate humanitarian needs.

He explained that, at this stage, it is incumbent upon the international community to pursue, more actively and efficiently, some mechanisms to compel the Syrian regime to move forward with the political negotiation process and prevent any further stalling or evasion of the commitments it has according to international resolutions relevant to Syria.

He discussed the SNC’s engagement in the “Brussels VIII Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria” held last month and the meetings SNC leadership held on the sidelines with US, European and Arab officials and diplomats which tackled the importance of achieving a political transition based on Geneva Communique and UNSCR 2254 and some proposals on how to overcome the stalemate caused by the Assad regime.
The SNC President said that the cultural event which the SNC organized on the sidelines of Brussels Conference, which was attended by hundreds of Syrians and foreigners, was mainly meant as a reminder of the issue of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons in Syrian regime prisons. In addition, it aimed at changing the attitude towards refugees and shedding light on the positive civilized aspect of Syrians for host communities in addition to stressing that the return of Syrian refugees to their home country is associated with political transition and a transitional governing body with full executive powers which could provide the safe and neutral environment necessary for safe and voluntary refugee return.

The SNC President further discussed the SNC’s work on the issues of accountability and prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against Syrians including officials of the Syrian regime. He also highlighted the hard work the SNC has been engaging in for the release of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons and to ensure this issue a non-negotiable issue which must precede a political solution.
On his part, the head of SIG stressed the importance of improving the reality of liberated areas in north west Syria in particular and the importance of encouraging investment in these areas. He also highlighted the important role which the business sector may play in that context indicating that there are several ideas to improve the reality of living standards and service provision in liberated areas explaining that SIG was looking into the possibilities and making local and regional communications to reach the best outcomes.

At the end of the workshop, participants shared some proposals and thoughts regarding urging Syrian refugees to invest in liberated areas and the importance of providing them with advisory and legal services to build their confidence in such investment and the importance of increasing local production, exportation, and elimination of difficulties facing merchants and industrialists in that area.