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Syrian Presidential Adviser for Media Affairs, Dr Ahmed Muwaffaq Zidan, has affirmed that the Syria-Qatar relations are far more rock-solid than ever, pointing out that the key challenge now is how to elevate these ties to new heights and build full integration between the two brotherly nations.In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), he clarified that the Syrian people will never forget Qatar's historic position in standing with their cause in multiple stages.It was the country that embraced the Syrians and provided them with political and humanitarian backing until the last moments. Also, Qatar was visited by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as part of the political overture Syria has recently witnessed, Zidan underlined.Zidan further indicated that the Qatari support for Syria has not stopped even for a single day, whether at the political, economic, or humanitarian levels, with the Qatari companies undertaking a leading role, particularly in the energy sector.Preparation is currently underway to forge new agreements with Qatar in connection with reconstruction and infrastructure.The Qatari side has persistently contributed to supporting the education and health sectors and has had a preeminent presence in reconstruction programs, Zidan pointed out.Zidan emphasised that the Qatari helping hands have never been absent in Syria even for a day, as every single economic support Qatar provides today fully undergirds the Syrian statehood and its Arab renaissance project.Syria's return to the Arab fold, and the Arab fold's return to Syria, embodies an integration realised through investments, grants, and infrastructure development, setting the wheels of the economy in motion as a central driver of social, political, and economic life, Zidan stressed.Zidan pointed out that the provision of natural gas for power generation or contributing to reducing unemployment and creating job opportunities are strategic support that is squarely reflected on Syrians' lives and helps them integrate with their brothers in the Arab Gulf.He asserted that Syria's success is reciprocally a success for Qatar as long as their bilateral relationship is rock-solid and unshakable.Regarding upcoming international engagements, he revealed that President al-Sharaa will head to New York to participate in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly later this September, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to the UN in many years.This participation will usher in a new era of political and civic overture for Syria, providing the opportunity for the president to address the international community and meet the Syrian community, as well as UN officials, something that would break the isolation the erstwhile regime had imposed on Syria and return the global presence to the nation, Zidan said.He added that this visit will pave the way for broader co-operation prospects between Syria and the world, entrenching the image of the people of Syria.Regarding the repeated Israeli assaults on Syrian territories, Zidan highlighted that the Syrian statehood is strong by its people and allies, notwithstanding its weak military capabilities following the decades-long devastation it had incurred.He clarified that Syria's ceiling on this issue is a return to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement under international mediation and with the presence of UN forces, calling on the Israeli occupation to comply with this agreement.The American position plays a positive role in this direction, alongside the critical role undertaken by the Arab Gulf nations, foremost among them Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as Turkiye, to tighten the screws on the Israeli occupation to halt its incursions, Zidan highlighted.He revealed that all dialogues, whether in Baku, Paris, or through other mediation channels, focused on returning to the 1974 Agreement as the primary reference on this issue.On Syrian national media, Zidan confirmed a plan to reorganise the national narrative and political discourse, making it more comprehensive and inclusive for all Syrians, at home and abroad, in coordination with Syria's Ministry of Information.He added that while the discourse exists, it needs restructuring and a stronger, more prominent presentation, with results expected to become clear over the next two years.The mammoth investment projects, especially in Damascus, are underway based on meticulously learned plans to determine the image of the future city, and this requires time and effort, but cooperation with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and several western allies will accelerate the construction engine, even though Syrian statehood is still in the making after emerging from accumulated crises, Zidan clarified.Zidan further explained that the war has left 1mn killed, millions of orphans and widows, and 14mn displaced, in addition to the decimation of thousands of schools, hospitals, and homes, making development and economic reconstruction an utmost priority.He emphasised that the recent launch of the Syrian Development Fund represents a key lever for the economic process and will spare the country many burdens imposed by global banks, noting that the participation of friends and brotherly countries in this fund will bolster its effectiveness and impact.Finally, Zidan assured that Syria today is moving forward toward development and reconstruction with the support of Arab brothers, with the State of Qatar at the forefront, which has been providing an advanced model in backing Syria at a variety of levels.He expressed confidence in the upcoming phase, which will usher in a new era of the Syria-Qatar relationship for the interests of the two peoples and strengthening stability in the entire region.

As part of the efforts made by the Qatar government and humanitarian organisations to support the resilience of the people, institutions, and vital sectors of Syria, a high-level delegation from Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) arrived at Damascus International Airport Sunday. The delegation was headed by QRCS president Yousef bin Ali al-Khater, secretary-general Faisal Mohamed al-Emadi, assistant secretary-general for Relief and International Development Mohamed Bader al-Sada, and assistant secretary-general for Communication and Resource Development Mohamed Ahmed al-Beshri. They were received by Syria's Minister of Health Dr Musaab Nazzal al-Ali, Qatar embassy in Syria charge d'affaires Khalifa Abdullah al-Mahmoud, Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARCS) president Dr Mohamed Hazem Bakleh, Damascus Health Directorate director Dr Wael Dagmash, representative of Syria’s ministry of foreign affairs and staff of the QRCS’s representation office in Türkiye. The purpose of the humanitarian visit was to deliver a new batch of aid from Qatar under the “Take Heart Syria” initiative, containing medical equipment and supplies donated by Sidra Medicine, Al-Tafa’ol Trading Company, United International Trading Company, and Doha Health Care Group, in co-ordination with the QRCS, SARCS, and Syria’s ministry of health. The delegation from Qatar arrived at Damascus International Airport aboard a Qatar Amiri Air Force aircraft, carrying 12 tonnes of critical and sophisticated medical equipment to help Syrian hospitals continue providing quality healthcare services for patients. This airlift was preceded by three land aid convoys. On August 28, a total of 22 aid trucks started to depart from the warehouses of Sidra Medicine and the QRCS in Doha in three batches. The convoys travelled through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, ending in Syria, with 78 tonnes of aid. Thus, the total volume of aid delivered under the initiative totaled 90 tonnes of medical equipment and supplies, at a value of over QR45mn. In his keynote speech during the event, al-Khater, said: "These combined efforts were meant to send a message of solidarity to Syria, helping revitalise the Syrian healthcare sector and strengthening the capacity of its medical institutions to meet the needs of millions of Syrians.” “Over the past years, the QRCS implemented large-scale projects and programmes covering various sectors, including health, shelter, emergency relief, food security, water and sanitation, and livelihoods, with a total value of $160mn,” he added. “More than 13mn people across the country benefited from these interventions”. The QRCS president promised to keep working hard to ensure the delivery of more aid from Qatar to the people of Syria, as well as to intensify support to provide the Syrian health sector with the vital supplies needed for medical facilities. “In the name of the Syrian government and people, I would like to welcome this medical shipment from the State of Qatar, through the QRCS,” said Syrian Health Minister Dr al-Ali. “This humanitarian initiative is not merely equipment and supplies, but rather a message of genuine solidarity, a new lease on life for our patients, and a renewed hope for our medical professionals, who continue to do their job despite the difficulties and challenges.” Al-Mahmoud described the aid as a practical demonstration of Qatar’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Syrian people. The SARCS’s Dr Bakleh said that the generous initiative represents the deep fraternal ties between the peoples of Syria and Qatar and best embodies the spirit of humanitarian solidarity. Al-Emadi revealed that the aid shipment from Qatar contained X-ray, anaesthesia, and dialysis equipment; advanced laboratory testing equipment; vital signs monitoring machines; ventilators; incubators; radiography and laser imaging systems; plasma and biological storage freezers; cardiac and neurological monitoring devices; clinical decision support systems; stretchers; disinfection and protection tools; medical consumables; first-aid kits; and other equipment that covers a wide range of healthcare services, as an essential boost to rehabilitate medical infrastructure in Syria and enable hospitals to resume some of their suspended or limited services.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with a consortium led by Qatar's UCC Holding, valued at over USD 4 billion, is intended to revamp Damascus International Airport based on state-of-the-art global standards, Chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Omar Al Hussari has said.In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Hussari added that the MoU includes revamping the airport, increasing its capacity, modernising the infrastructure and ground services, in addition to deploying sophisticated operation systems.The project will constitute a paradigm shift in the Syrian airports systems and bolster the capacity of the civil aviation sector to keep up with the requirements of the upcoming phase, Al Hussari highlighted.Al Hussari stressed that the memorandum is a concrete step in strengthening the Syria-Qatar relationship, standing as a model of Arab cooperation in major strategic ventures. He affirmed that the next phase would shift from signing the memorandum to outlining a clear implementation plan, thereby ensuring that this partnership is converted into tangible projects that directly benefit travelers and the national economy.In connection with the projects undertaken by GACA, technical and economic studies are underway to convert Mezzeh Air Base into a civilian airport dedicated to private aviation and business travelers. The operational capacity of this base will be gauged not in terms of passenger numbers but by the volume of private flights and the quality of specialized services, thereby positioning it as a complementary facility to Damascus International Airport, he underlined.He further underscored that there is a strategic plan to expand the SyrianAir fleet through the modernization of existing aircraft and the acquisition of new planes, while GACA has opened the door for Arab and international carriers to operate within Syrian airspace and at its airports.Damascus International Airport currently serves 15 airlines, whereas Aleppo International Airport accommodates seven carriers. The measures broadly enhance competitiveness and elevate the level of services offered to travelers. These initiatives unfold amid a period of Arab and international engagement with Syria and the restoration of a huge portion of air traffic, contributing to reinstating the country to its natural position on the regional and global aviation map, Al Hussari underlined.As for the western sanctions, he evinced that the restrictions are still partial and hamper modernization processes, as well as securing spare parts and cutting-edge technologies.However, he said GACA has been successful in overcoming these impediments through forging cooperation with regional and global partners to secure practical alternatives in relation to maintenance, equipment, and technologies, noting that these partnerships helped proceed with the operation of aircraft and airports based on international safety standards.Al Hussari welcomed the recent decision taken by the US Department of Commerce to streamline the access of technology and spare parts to Syria, including civil aviation parts.The strategy of the upcoming period is based on making the civil aviation sector an economic driver and a major conduit, reinstating the nation to its position as a regional and global connection hub. This strategy includes modernization to have capacious airports, augmenting the national fleet, advancing air cargo services, and investing in training and qualifying manpower to ensure sustained development and keep abreast of the latest international standards, Al Hussari pointed out.Al Hussari further indicated that the projects and agreements underway represent practical steps toward advancing the Syrian civil aviation sector and reintegrating the country into the regional and global air transportation system.He affirmed that the coming period ought to witness a follow-up on the execution of these projects to ensure the achievement of GACA's objectives and the constant upgradation of this critical sector.