I said, in my speech to the French President Emmanuel Macron, which extended for three minutes, that Syria is passing today through one of the most important and sensitive stages of its history since the independence, and that enabling it to stand on its feet again requires a genuine and sustainable international support. The challenges that the country is facing aren’t only a result of the years of the armed conflict, but also a result of decades of weakening the institutions of the state and emptying them of competence, independence, and the rule of law; these are policies that preceded the Syrian revolution and worsened in a catastrophic manner after it.
I called on France, which has supported numerous Syrian institutions, among them the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), from which, and from Germany, I had the honor of receiving the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in 2023, to continue supporting the rebuilding of the institutions of the Syrian state, particularly the Ministries of Justice and Interior, in accordance with the standards of the rule of law, professionalism, transparency, and accountability.
The building of institutions that are capable of protecting citizens, providing services, and enforcing the law constitutes one of the most important guarantees to prevent the recurrence of violations. However, this process needs considerable financial resources, which may reach hundreds of millions of dollars, and years of training, qualification, and capacity building. The states emerging from devastating conflicts, such as Syria, don’t possess on their own the financial and human capacities that are necessary for this task.
The photo is from the breakfast that gathered some of the Syrian civil society organizations. I was sitting opposite him, and I ate most of the breakfast because he was busy the whole time listening and writing, so he didn’t eat anything. I told him at the end of the meeting that I had eaten almost everything; he said to me, smiling: “Don’t worry, I’ll manage!”
What caught my attention is that the President shook hands with all of the workers in the restaurant of the hotel, upon his entrance and upon his exit, and he also took a group photo with them. This is the first time where I have met a high-level official who does such an ethical act.
Yesterday, I conducted an interview on Syria TV and on the Syrian Al-Ikhbariya about the meeting, and I spoke in both of them only about the speech that I delivered, and about the responses of the President. I also spoke about the terrorist bombing that struck Damascus; we thank God for the safety of the Public Security forces, and we ask Him to heal the wounded among them, and to protect our beloved country and its honorable people. We will issue a statement soon about the bombing.
What Did I Say to President Macron?
