The Herculean task facing the new Syrian government

It is hard to exaggerate the immense tasks facing Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa as he attempts to peacefully consolidate power with other rebel groups and act on his far-reaching domestic agenda. All signs show that al-Sharaa is determined to set Syria on a transformational trajectory that leads to a democracy where social and political equality prevails and prevents Syria from sliding back into the abyss. With Syria having endured hell over the past 14 years, he knows that he must demonstrate to the world that he means what he says and will deliver on his promises to earn international recognition and support.

Al-Sharaa must address in stages several key issues laden with enormous difficulties that will determine whether or not he will rise to the historic occasion and resurrect Syria from the ashes that the Assad regime left behind.

Healing the nation

Given how shattered the Syrian people are after 14 years of systematic persecution, displacement, destruction, and the death of over 600,000 Syrians, nothing is more urgent than a concerted effort by the new government to heal the nation. Uniting all rebel groups under one roof is a central first step to making such a national effort possible.

The new government must develop a new social contract by prioritizing human rights and the rule of law, and begin the monumental task of rehabilitating displaced persons. Bringing to justice those who have committed crimes against humanity, preventing arbitrary detention, and following lawful procedures are critical. Establishing a ministerial-level body for peace, justice, and reconciliation is a must, as well as prohibiting revenge and retribution, making it clear that the perpetrators will face justice while preserving evidence of atrocities to ensure future accountability.

Inclusive Political System

Given that Syria has nearly 20 different ethnic and religious groups, including multiple Christian denominations, the new political system must be inclusive and allow the participation of all groups in the political processes. It is crucial to reform the constitution to recognize the political rights of all segments of the population to ensure a smooth transition to a decentralized democratic system, including abolishing all discriminatory laws and practices and ensuring religious freedom and equality for all.

Nearly all ethnic and religious groups, except the Alawites who ruled the country, have been politically sidelined. Thus, political inclusiveness and free and fair elections are critical to social cohesiveness, which the Syrian people are in dire need of.

Socio-economic equality

Fourteen years of devastation left the country's social fabric shattered and economically crushed.

Economically, the new government urgently needs to repair this epic dislocation by taking the following measures among others: developing a sustainable reconstruction plan to rebuild the economy, revitalizing the private sector, and creating job opportunities; working with international investors, donors, and local organizations transparently and collaboratively to help revive the economy, and supporting financially and technically small and medium-sized businesses to stimulate growth. A custodian of donors should be created to provide financial aid tied to the reconstruction progress as well as to full adherence to democracy, where human rights reign high.

Socially, the government must invest in education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and food insecurity. It must implement sustainable agricultural support programs and remove all obstacles to allow humanitarian aid to reach all regions, and collaborate with international countries to ensure the flow of humanitarian assistance. Most importantly, it must create the conditions that would allow refugees and internally displaced persons to return home while restoring demographic changes that might have occurred under Assad's brutal repression.

Barring foreign troops

For the past several decades, foreign troops and military installations from Russia, Turkey, and Iran have been stationed in Syria. To emerge as a truly independent country, the government must ask foreign powers to withdraw their forces from the country. The Syrian government needs to stress that, given that Syria has entered a new era, hosting foreign powers is no longer necessary and only undermines Syria's sovereignty.

Russia: The new government should call on Russia to withdraw its forces from Syria. The Syrian government has already demanded that Russia withdraw its military contingent by mid-February and can now take advantage of Russia's limited military capabilities due to the continuing war in Ukraine.

The Syrian government should also abolish the Astana process that allowed Russia and Iran to use their militaries to ensure the survival of Assad's regime while serving their strategic regional interests. Furthermore, the government should assert that the two countries can develop an alternate mutually beneficial relationship in many spheres, including economic development.