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Prospects for Inclusive Governance in Syria: Identifying Challenges and Opportunities
Political change is taking place at pace in Syria and discussions are now emerging about the country’s future governance arrangements. Experts are highlighting that a unique opportunity now exists to engage with inclusive negotiations over new governance arrangements but have also warned about the inherent challenges now facing Syria. Syria’s rebel leadership is reaching out to global public opinion to build legitimacy and secure much-needed reconstruction aid. Kurds, Druze, Christians and other groups in Syria are also eager to maintain support while they prepare for the new governance arrangements that will follow over the months and years ahead. External actors are, for the most part, suggesting that some form of inclusive governance is necessary to maintain an element of stability, prevent further massive displacement and even enable refugees to return home. Israel meanwhile has already begun bombing military targets in Syria before a transitional government has even been appointed.
Inclusive governance has the potential to broaden participation among the larger ethnic and religious groups of Syria without excluding minorities. However, to develop credibility and legitimacy, ideas on future institutional arrangements and the extent and nature of inclusive governance will have to be developed in a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned process. This flash event seeks to contribute to the evolving discussion about how inclusive governance might be built in Syria and the opportunities and challenges that will face such a process. The organizers invite initial thoughts from expert Syrian scholars about how inclusive governance might be modelled within the region and what they see as the opportunities and limits of such a process. A wider lens will be provided by colleagues from the Inclusive Peace: Citizen Inclusion in Power-Sharing Settlements project who will provide some examples from other cases where inclusive governance has been attempted and the opportunities and challenges that emerged from those institutional reforms.
Moderator: Allison McCulloch, Brandon University
Main speakers:
- Sahar Ammar, swisspeace
- Fateh Shaban, University of Kent
- Nour Halabi, University of Aberdeen
- Samer Sharani, Sabanci
University Contributors:
- Joanne McEvoy, University of Aberdeen
- Rupak Chattopadhyay, Forum of Federations
Closing Remarks:
- Neophytos Loizides, University of Warwick
You can watch the event recorded here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jGSWlCLRoY
Professor Loizides policy brief on inclusive governance in Syria