Activists seek to shed light on NE Syria in Brussels VIII Conference

About 20 NGOs and civil activists from Northeast Syria received invitations to participate in Conference.

Since 2017, the European Union has been organizing an annual conference in Brussels to support the future of Syria. The conference aims to mobilize the international community in support of a comprehensive and credible political solution in Syria.

In previous years, many participants from Syria faced difficulties in attending the Conference due to challenges regarding coordination issues and visa procedures, which some considered “marginalization and exclusion,” especially of participants from Northeast Syria.

Izzadin Saleh, Executive Director of Hevdesti/Synergy Association, told North Press that he believes Turkey stands behind this policy of exclusion.

Civil society organizations, associations, and institutions in Northeast Syria held on March 5, a conference in Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, under the title of “Local Voices Conference” to convey the voices of local communities in the Eighth Brussels Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region.

During the conference, participants extensively discussed the economic challenges and emphasized the necessity of supporting programs and projects needed in the region. They stressed the importance of directing support and funding to meet the needs of the local population.

Saleh emphasized the significance of convening such conferences to highlight issues relevant to the region, and shed light on these concerns in the Brussels Conference to ensure the priorities and needs of the region’s inhabitants are addressed accordingly.

Furthermore, he stated that advocacy efforts that civil society organizations and local communities in northeastern Syria should make are crucial in order to represent the region in international conferences and forums.

Meanwhile, Imad Ahmi, a project officer at ASO Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies, expressed commitment to convey messages about economic development and security stability at the Brussels Conference, in addition to recommendations regarding immigration and the lack of job opportunities.

Ahmi pointed out they would be better prepared this year and deliver well-organized messages. The activists, in collaboration with NGOs operating in the region, seek to achieve an effective representation of Northeast Syria at the Brussels Conference.

The Brussels conferences on Syria are a series of annual events organized by the European Union in Brussels, aimed at garnering international support for resolving the Syrian crisis. Representatives of NGOs, governments and the international community also attend the conferences.