Projects in northeast Syria

| Subject: International Relations

A delegation from northeast Syria meets with the Vice-president of International Relations and Cooperation

On Wednesday, 16th October, the AMB's Vice-president of International Relations and Cooperation, Ernest Maragall, met with three female representatives from the departments of Municipal Affairs and Environment of the Jazira Region and the districts of Al-Hasakah and Qamishli, in northeast Syria, at the Parliament of Catalonia

The Vice-president underscored the professionalism of the actions in which the representatives are involved, as well as their ability to pull their country forward in such an exceptional situation. He also emphasised the projects developed with technical and financial support from the AMB.

The President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Roger Torrent, has also received the delegation. During the meeting, the representatives explained the current situation affecting their region and received support from the two Catalan officials. This visit was organised within the framework of the direct cooperation projects promoted by the AMB in northeast Syria, an area in which it has been active since 2017.

There are currently two ongoing projects: one in its final stage, focused on managing sanitary waste in northeast Syria, and the other one, approved by the Council in October, focused on improve the public lighting in the city of Qamishli. Both actions are opportunities to strengthen local institutions and pilot new models.

The AMB cooperates in the region with two NGOS, Un Ponte Per... and the Kurdish Red Crescent, and local governments, all of which are co-directed by a man and a woman. It must be pointed out that the regional government's three main priorities are the incorporation of a participatory system of governance, women's rights and ecology.

Context (10.18.2019)

Northeast Syria is a region has suffered the bombings ordered by the Turkish government under President Erdogan following the withdrawal of the American troops. The offensive, which began on 9th October, has resulted in dozens of civilian deaths, destroyed numerous buildings and displaced over 200,000 people from the area.

On Thursday, 17th October, President Erdogan and the US government reached a ceasefire agreement that has slowed the Turkish offensive against the Kurdish militias in the area near the border. At present, fighting remains heaviest in Ras al-Ayn, whose centre is surrounded by Turkish forces and aligned Syrian militias.

According to the Syrian Human Rights Observatory, members of the pro-Turkish militias have crossed Syrian territory and reached the front at Ras al-Ayn, where they have blocked the opening of a humanitarian corridor to bring aid to the injured.  

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Parlament de Catalunya Barcelona