TRT World Forum 2025 spotlights Syria’s reconstruction path

ISTANBUL / ANKARA

The rebuilding of Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime was the focus of discussions on Friday at TRT World Forum 2025 in Istanbul.

Held under the theme “The Global Reset: From the Old Order to New Realities,” the forum gathered leaders and experts from around the world for a session titled “Syria’s New Dawn: Charting a Course for Reconstruction and Stability.”

Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said no one had anticipated the fall of the Assad regime and described his participation as information minister of the “new Syria” as a milestone. He said years of reliance on social media left Syrians vulnerable to disinformation and that the new administration aims to rebuild official media institutions to help present a consistent national narrative during the transition.

Al-Mustafa added that the government has invited foreign media outlets to resume operations in Syria, with hundreds of applications already received. He warned that the absence of reliable media coverage could lead to serious consequences for the country’s recovery process.

Houda Atassi, co-founder and president of the International Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHR), said civil society organizations were unable to operate effectively in areas once controlled by the Assad regime but played important roles in other regions. She said these organizations now have broader opportunities to contribute to Syria’s reconstruction and social recovery.

Atassi noted the importance of aligning the work of local and international civil society groups and strengthening the institutional capacity of organizations within Syria to better support reconstruction efforts.

Karla Quintana, chair of the UN-established Independent Institution for Missing Persons in Syria, said the exact number of missing persons remains unknown. She noted that almost every Syrian has either lost a relative or knows someone who has disappeared, and emphasized that the international community should increase efforts to locate missing individuals and bring relief to their families.