Syria discusses refugee return cooperation with Germany, Belgium

Syrian officials held separate talks Thursday with German and Belgian delegations on cooperation related to refugee returns, reintegration and development projects, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA.

Syrian Local Administration and Environment Minister Mohammed Anjarani discussed development priorities with a delegation from the Belgian development agency, Enabel, headed by regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Neighborhood, Patrick Goudisart, the ministry said.

The meeting at the ministry’s headquarters in Damascus addressed projects supporting the return and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced people, as well as mechanisms to support climate finance.

The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and build partnerships in sustainable development, improving local services and responding to environmental challenges.

Enabel is an agency that implements international cooperation and development programs, focusing on sectors including education, health, employment, entrepreneurship and governance.

In a separate meeting, the Expatriates and Refugees Department at Syria’s Foreign Ministry held talks with a delegation from Germany’s Federal Interior Ministry on strengthening cooperation and coordination on refugee and return-related issues.

They discussed developing communication channels and exchanging information and expertise, according to SANA.

They stressed the importance of creating a “safe, dignified and stable environment” for returning Syrians that would allow them to settle and reintegrate into their local communities.

The meeting also addressed exchanging expertise and benefiting from experiences and practices in managing return, integration and stabilization.

The Syrian and German sides agreed to continue communication and coordination through clear channels and follow up on the issues discussed to turn the understandings into practical steps.

In January 2025, President Ahmed al-Sharaa said he expected most Syrians living abroad to return within two years, putting their number at around 15 million following a brutal war launched by the former regime of Bashar al-Assad during the revolution between 2011 and 2024.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Assad, who ruled for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the Baath Party's decades-long rule that began in 1963. A transitional administration led by Sharaa was formed in January 2025.