Executive Summary
As the first days of a post-Assad Syria begin to settle, how aid should resume will be a key policy question for Syrians, aid actors and member states alike. The United Nations (UN), I/NGOs and Syrian civil society will need to reset relations with the state and navigate emerging governance structures. There is an opportunity to learn from the last decade of divisive aid politics and aid economy. This paper aims to support the immediate resumption of aid delivery in Syria with a focus on two key issues: (1) How to navigate Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s emerging governance role, and; (2) How to start conversations on addressing Syria’s divisive aid economy. It concludes by setting out several points of discussion for Syrians, aid actors, and member states alike on solutions-oriented dialogue during this next phase in Syrian national politics. Proactive thinking on these issues has the potential to lay the foundations for transformative future recovery and development efforts in Syria.
