Damascus Countryside Expatriates Forum 2023 discusses the role of expatriates in Syria’s reconstruction

Damascus countryside (ST): A forum for expatriates from the countryside of Damascus for the year 2023 was held in the city of Al-Nabek, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Al-Mikdad, a group of expatriates and personalities from the Qalamoun region.

Dr. Al-Mikdad explained in a press statement that the permanent mission of the ministry is to take care of the millions of Syrian expatriates in different parts of the world, pointing out that this group of society has shown today its love for its homeland and its commitment to struggle against terrorism and occupation until achieving the final victory, which will lead to the withdrawal of the American, Turkish and Israeli occupation forces.

Minister Al-Mikdad referred to the necessity of holding such meetings as they encourage a convergence of ideas and solving problems, stressing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working for expatriates, and is mandated to serve the citizen and respond to any rightful request from any Syrian expatriate, pointing out that the Ministry will provide all capabilities in order to secure the needs for expatriates, including solving the problems they encounter, especially in the field of providing passports, within the shortest possible period.

Minister Mikdad pointed out that there is an expatriate committee in every country where there are Syrians, and that all Syrian expatriate associations are registered with the ministry and are dealt with indirectly in the absence of an embassy, or directly in countries where there are embassies for Syria, stressing the importance of the role of the Syrian expatriates in defending the just causes of their homeland.

The Governor of Damascus Countryside, Safwan Abu Saadi, explained that a lot of service and community work has been accomplished in the governorate since 2018, as there was only one governmental hospital operating in the governorate during that period, and currently there are 8 hospitals with 1,200 beds, and there were 3 private hospitals, and currently there are 18 private hospitals, while more than 1,500 schools are operating, and 275 wells out of 400 destroyed in Eastern Ghouta have been rehabilitated, 14 citizen service centers have been rehabilitated, 23 industrial areas and 5 areas are under preparation, in addition to the industrial city in Adra, which constitutes an important economic edifice for the countryside and Syria, it extends over an area of 705 hectares and includes 2,300 productive factories.

K.Q.