The arduous journey to peace in Syria
The deadline for Syria's interim government to transfer power to a new government passed on March 1, yet the process of political transition and reconstruction in this Middle Eastern country remains complex.
Despite government efforts to promote national dialogue, the journey to achieving a peaceful, stable, and sustainable order in Syria is fraught with obstacles, primarily due to conflicting viewpoints and interests among the parties involved.
According to a plan announced by Syria's interim government in February, a new government representing the diverse population and ensuring political, ethnic, and religious diversity was supposed to take office on March 1. However, this deadline was missed by the parties in Syria.
To advance the power transition, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently announced the formation of a seven-member committee tasked with drafting a constitution for the transitional period.
It is undeniable that the interim government has made efforts to restore stability, rebuild the country, and enhance cooperation with regional nations.
The Syrian National Dialogue Conference's final statement outlined 18 points that will guide the institutional reform programme, covering political, economic, defence, and civil rights areas.
The conference's final statement outlined 18 points that will guide the institutional reform programme, covering political, economic, defence, and civil rights areas. Notably, the statement emphasised the need to build a professional national army.
However, the implementation of the statement will be challenging, which is why the transition process in Syria remains uncertain. The collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad's regime led to a new struggle among domestic factions, and disarming armed groups in Syria - a prerequisite for building a unified national army - will undoubtedly face significant challenges.
Kurdish-led armed forces have not accepted al-Sharaa's proposal to disarm and integrate into the national army, nor did they participate in the Syrian National Dialogue Conference. This reflects the deep divisions within the country.
According to The New Arab, some Syrians believe that the government under al-Sharaa is favouring the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, as most members of the constitutional drafting committee have close ties with HTS, which could lead to the committee representing only “a portion of the Syrian people.”
Currently, conflicts between factions continue in some areas of the country, affecting overall security. Additionally, increased Israeli attacks aimed at destroying Syria's military infrastructure have heightened tensions.
On March 3, Israel conducted airstrikes against a Syrian air defence battalion near the western coastal city of Tartus. The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, strongly condemned this military escalation and called on all parties to respect Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity.
After more than a decade of conflict, Syria's economy is in severe difficulty. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) notes that infrastructure damage is a major obstacle to Syria's reconstruction. Nearly 50% of schools are closed, and over 33% of housing units have been destroyed.
With a current annual growth rate of only 1.3%, Syria is projected to take over 50 years to restore its GDP to pre-conflict levels. Therefore, Syria's new government must bear the responsibility of reviving the economy, attracting investment, and rebuilding the country under extremely limited resources.
The journey to a peaceful and stable future in Syria remains arduous. The core issue is that the country can only truly recover and reintegrate into the international community when political forces achieve internal consensus and leaders work out balanced foreign policies.
NDO
