Saudi Arabia Welcomes Syrian National Dialogue and Supports State-Building Efforts
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s support for the Syrian National Dialogue conference, hoping it will pave the way for fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people and strengthening their national unity, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting efforts to build Syrian state institutions, achieve stability, and ensure prosperity for its citizens. It reiterated Saudi Arabia’s longstanding position of advocating for Syria’s security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Key Outcomes of the Syrian National Dialogue Conference
The concluding statement of the Syrian National Dialogue, held in Damascus on Tuesday with hundreds of attendees invited by the authorities, labeled armed factions as “outlaw groups” and called for restricting weapons to state control. The statement also urged the swift adoption of a temporary constitutional declaration suited to the transitional phase’s needs.
The Syrian National Dialogue’s final statement outlined several critical objectives:
- Preserving Unity and Sovereignty: Upholding the unity of the Syrian Arab Republic, rejecting all forms of division or territorial concessions.
- Condemning Israeli Aggression: Denouncing Israel’s incursions into Syrian territory as a blatant violation of sovereignty, demanding an immediate and unconditional withdrawal, rejecting provocative statements by the Israeli Prime Minister, and urging the international community to act against these aggressions.
- Temporary Constitution: Accelerating the announcement of a provisional constitution to address the transitional phase and ensure the functioning of state institutions.
- Legislative Council: Forming a temporary legislative council based on competence and fair representation to handle legislative duties.
- Constitutional Committee: Establishing a committee to draft a permanent constitution that balances powers, promotes justice, freedom, equality, and establishes a state of law and institutions.
Emphasis on Freedom, Justice, and Development
The Syrian National Dialogue emphasized freedom as a supreme societal value, earned through the sacrifices of the Syrian people, and guaranteed freedom of opinion and expression. It called for respecting human rights, empowering women, protecting children’s rights, supporting individuals with special needs, and engaging youth in state and societal roles.
The statement advocated for citizenship as a core principle, rejecting discrimination based on race, religion, or sect, and ensuring equal opportunities free from ethnic or religious quotas. It also stressed transitional justice by holding perpetrators of crimes accountable, reforming the judiciary, and enacting laws to restore rights.
Promoting Peace, Economic Growth, and Reconstruction
To foster societal stability, the dialogue called for peaceful coexistence among Syria’s diverse communities, rejecting violence, incitement, and revenge. It emphasized political development with broad societal participation, fair political exclusion criteria, and laws to support this process.
Economically, the statement urged launching development initiatives, advancing agriculture and industry through incentivized policies, encouraging investment, and supporting prosperity. It also called for lifting international sanctions on Syria, which now burden the population post-regime fall, hinder reconstruction, and delay the return of displaced persons and refugees.
Institutional Reform and Civil Society Engagement
The dialogue highlighted the need to restructure public institutions, initiate digital transformation to boost efficiency, combat corruption, and base employment on patriotism, integrity, and competence. It encouraged civil society organizations to support governmental reconstruction efforts and urged the state to empower these groups for development and stability.
Education reform was another focus, with plans to update curricula, bridge educational gaps, ensure quality education, and integrate vocational training and technology to create job opportunities and secure a better future.
Fostering Dialogue and Transparency
The Syrian National Dialogue underscored the importance of promoting a culture of dialogue across all levels of society, establishing mechanisms for ongoing discussions, and committing to transparency. A detailed report from the preparatory committee will soon be released, showcasing participants’ contributions and opinions from the conference.
