Final Statement of the Suwayda Conference: The Form of the State Must Be Determined by All Syrians
Welat TV – Erbil
The Suwayda Conference issued its final statement on Saturday, June 21, 2025, outlining a set of outcomes and recommendations. The conference, which was held last Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in the presence of representatives from various segments and components of society in the governorate, had postponed the announcement of its results and outcomes until the participating bodies could review and agree upon them.
The statement reads as follows:
Outcomes and Recommendations of the General Suwayda Conference (Towards a Unified Syria) At the invitation and initiative of the Sons of Suwayda in the diaspora, and with the blessing of the spiritual leadership of the Druze, represented by His Eminence Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijari, and sheikhs Hammoud al-Hannawi and Youssef Jerboa, as well as the Islamic and Christian spiritual authorities in the governorate, who attended the opening session of the conference either in person or through representatives, and words reflected a deep interest in their general national issues.
The conference was also attended by local community leaders and influential figures from Suwayda and took place on June 17, 2025. in the presence of representatives from political, social, and civil actors in the governorate, including unions, associations, and independent national figures, all of whom agreed on the initiative’s vision as drafted by the preparatory committee of the conference.
After four full-day sessions, the attendees agreed on a set of outcomes and recommendations divided into three main axes according to the following:
First – Political Affairs
1. Reaffirming the general national principles: the unity of Syria, both land and people, and the full integration of the people of Suwayda into the Syrian national fabric, rejecting all foreign interference from any side and insisting on national sovereignty and independent decision-making. The statement called for raising the national flag on all state institutions and returning religious banners to places of worship.
2. Working with all Syrians and the transitional government to build a national state based on the principles of the revolution for freedom and dignity, a state of citizenship, justice, and law that protects all citizens and ensure their rights without discrimination, and build a moral, political, and intellectual life for all Syrians based on free participation, justice, and political equality.
3. Asserting that the form of the state and political system of government whether centralized or decentralized in its various forms (administrative, expanded political, etc.) must be determined by all Syrians through a future constituent assembly or an elected parliament. Some participants considered that implementing Local Administration Law No. 107 of 2011, once amended, could serve as a temporary step toward decentralization.
4. Emphasizing the need for a balanced relationship with the transitional authority on the principle of rights, responsibilities, and citizenship. The elected General Secretariat, through its specialized committees and with the support of experts among the conference members, will open communication channels with the relevant ministries and authorities to address issues concerning Suwayda’s public affairs.
5. Calling for a national dialogue based on Article 18 of the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference on all national issues, the first of which is to reconsider the interim constitutional declaration, the separation of powers, and other controversial decrees. Working on a constituent body to draft a modern and permanent constitution that reflects the aspirations of the Syrian people and the revolution of freedom and dignity will ultimately lead to a parliamentary election, activating the role of civil society, empowering women and youth, creating a party Law, and organizing political work.
Second – Public Affairs
1. Emphasizing the need to address living and service-related issues in the governorate and secure dignified livelihoods for citizens through development projects that create job opportunities, such resuming work on the halted Hajj Road project, which provides acceptable job and investment opportunities for local residents.
2. Stressing the importance of raising salaries and wages in line with the cost of living, which is a general demand for all Syrians, and the need to pay dues to workers dismissed arbitrarily, and the payment of pensions to individuals laid off after December 8, 2024, as a personal right that cannot be denied or confiscated.
3. Emphasizing the need to provide better agricultural services and the appropriate legal environment for the import of fertilizers, equipment, export of products, and drilling wells for agriculture in a governorate whose main economy depends largely on agriculture.
4. Urging the activation of public services institutions such as health centers, hospitals, water and electricity infrastructure, sanitation services, cultural and educational institutions, and civil registry and immigration departments, many of which remain inactive until today. The statement stresses collaboration with the provincial executive office and coordination with relevant ministries to facilitate the work of these institutions and appoint competent, honest managers without reappointing former corrupt leadership.
5. Calling for a comprehensive solution for public and private university students, including providing a safe environment for their return to universities, institutes, dormitories, and transportation routes, addressing the loss of education, and preventing the recurrence of past security incidents.
Third – Civil Peace and Achieving it
1-Stressing the need to activate the judicial police and police departments within the governorate, and provide all its necessary logistical support to ensure safety and protection of lives and public and private property.
2. Calling for an end to sectarian incitement and the criminalization of such behavior from any source in accordance with Article 307 of the Syrian Penal Code and its amendments. It also demands a transparent investigation into recent events in Suwayda.
3. Emphasizing the need to control unregulated weapons and dismantling unlawful armed groups, and to activate and implement the agreement of the first of May 2025 with the support of revolutionary factions, to ensure security and stability.
4. Promoting dialogue and rapprochement with neighboring areas such as Daraa and Damascus countryside to strengthen social cohesion, denounce irresponsible behavior that undermines civil peace, and pave the way for a comprehensive Syrian-Syrian dialogue that enhances national unity through the engagement of all Syrians.
5. Advocating for the implementation of transitional justice mechanisms in all their dimensions, to hold those responsible for Syrian bloodshed accountable, while ensuring justice does not become a tool of revenge that further damages the social fabric and undermines civil peace.
At the closing session, a General Secretariat of 31 members was elected, with a proposed term of six months.
The Secretariat will be divided into three committees: a Political Committee, a Service Committee, and a Civil Peace Committee. It may seek assistance from experts among the conference members to support its efforts in implementing the conference outcomes. The Secretariat is accountable to the conference’s General Assembly.