Syria: Challenges to rebuilding the State
Click to download our policy paper on Syria. Cover Image: FCDO, Basma Used under CC BY-ND 2.0
Following a convened dialogue with representatives from across Syria, we are pleased to share our paper Syria: Challenges to rebuilding the State.
The paper outlines key challenges following the collapse of the previous regime in Syria. These include a parlous security situation, the urgent need for transitional justice, and the lack of state capacity to deal with basic needs across Syria.
The discussion and paper also highlighted the important role that civil society has played in the delivery of essential services in Syria. Civil society has been playing this vital role, and should be supported.
The paper outlines the following as next steps:
The precipitous collapse of the regime indicates just how hollowed out the Syrian state is. State building needs to address a number of priorities, chiefly to build a state that has legitimacy in the eyes of all components of Syrian society.
To build that legitimacy, there must be a truly national dialogue between all components of Syrian society on the function of the state, whether a federal state or other. This national dialogue will need to address sectarian division and gender inequality, as well as other sources of tension such as urban/rural, and geographic splits. This is something that could be facilitated by the United Nations or Arab Ministerial Contact Committee On Syria, but there is an open question who the interlocutors could be.
Building the capacity of the state to ensure it is able to establish legitimacy is also an urgent need.
It is expressly urgent to allay fears across the component groups of Syrian society. Many people are scared about their safety and protection from sectarian violence. The implementation of transitional justice, and potential truth and reconciliation process based on international standards is a matter of urgency.
We must recognise that there may need to be an international mechanism to prevent further violence and even collapse into another civil war.