Minister of Local Administration: Syria is moving towards "service and administrative decentralization"
Minister of Local Administration and Environment Mohammed Anjarani confirmed that the Syrian government is moving towards building a model of "service and administrative decentralization" that grants local councils broader powers within a clear legal and supervisory framework.
Anjarani said in a television interview that the government "may start early next year" what he described as "practical experiences" related to local elections, coinciding with the completion of the amendment to the Local Administration Law No. 107.
The government is still studying the form of future local councils, and whether they will be "fully elected" or based on a mixed formula between the elected and the appointee, he said, as part of broader consultations that will include Syrian provinces.
The Minister of Local Administration explained that the government has set a goal of giving citizens more space to manage their local and service affairs, but stressed that the expansion of local powers "cannot succeed without governance, oversight and clear legislation that prevents chaos and excesses."
He added that the ministry is currently working on reviewing and amending a wide package of laws and regulations related to the work of municipalities and local administration, including 6 legislative laws and a number of organizational and administrative decrees, with the aim of modernizing the legal structure regulating the work of local councils and reducing loopholes that allow corruption or disruption of service work, according to him.
Anjrani: Benefiting from the experiences of Turkey and Saudi Arabia
Anjarani revealed the signing of a memorandum of understanding and an executive plan with the Saudi side to benefit from the Saudi experience in governance and municipal work, explaining that the agreement includes a six-month executive program that focuses on transferring administrative and service expertise to Syria, taking into account the specificity of the Syrian reality.
He pointed out that there is cooperation with the Turkish side in the files of the land registry, cadastral organization and land registry, as part of the ministry's efforts to rebuild the administrative and organizational structure of local institutions.
Anjarani acknowledged that the improvement in services is "still slow", attributing this to the extent of the destruction and significant erosion of infrastructure after the years of war, in addition to the limited financial and administrative resources of municipalities and local councils.
The government focuses its support on the countryside
Many local councils suffer from poor resources to the extent that their revenues are "sometimes not enough to cover the salaries of their workers", Anjarani said, stressing that the government has already begun to implement maintenance, cleaning and rubble removal projects in various provinces.
He added that the ministry has launched projects to provide all Syrian provinces with new cleaning mechanisms and garbage compactors within 100 days, expecting the results of these projects to start appearing in the coming months.
The minister stressed that the government has directed a large part of the government support towards rural areas, stressing that equity in the distribution of resources does not necessarily mean digital equality between cities and rural areas, but rather taking into account the size of needs and service pressure in each region.
He pointed out that the ministry has granted administrative units greater financial and administrative independence, with the aim of enabling them to implement service and development projects faster and more closely related to the needs of the local population.
Al-Hasakah, Raqqa and Sweida. Open Files
On the file of northeastern Syria, Anjarani explained that the government is working to complete the administrative integration processes in Raqqa and al-Hasakeh within the Syrian state institutions, considering that the file of Raqqa is more advanced than al-Hasakeh due to various security and political conditions.
The minister said that the end of this year is likely to witness clear progress in the stabilization of administrative units in Raqqa and Hasakah, stressing that the government views the residents of these areas as an essential part of the Syrian administration and services, regardless of political or national considerations.
In Sweida, he pointed out that security tensions and administrative interruptions have greatly affected the work of local councils and services, but revealed that a large percentage of the financial deficit and salaries have been covered in a number of municipalities, in addition to continuous attempts to keep service communication channels open with the governorate.
Reconstruction has begun its first phases
On the reconstruction file, the minister stressed that the process has already begun, but it is still in its early stages, explaining that the removal of rubble and the rehabilitation of schools, health centers and infrastructure are an essential part of the reconstruction process, even if it has not yet appeared in the traditional form that Syrians expect.
He added that the government has started working on new organizational plans in devastated areas such as Jobar and Qaboun, in parallel with the removal of rubble and remnants of war, and preparations for the entry of investment companies and housing projects during the next phase.