Damascus, SANA-Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh met with Marianne Ward, the Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), along with her accompanying delegation, to discuss enhancing and developing cooperation between Syria and the program.
During the meeting at the Ministry’s headquarters, Minister Barnia emphasized Syria’s aspiration to establish a partnership with the WFP that goes beyond relief efforts, focusing instead on recovery, resilience, and long-term stability. He highlighted the country’s transition from crisis to opportunity and from fragmentation to cohesion.
He appreciated the program’s commitment to operating at full capacity in Syria, noting that Syrians are no longer living in a survival mode, as they were under the former regime, but have begun to feel that the country belongs to them once again.
For her part, Ward affirmed the WFP’s unwavering commitment to standing alongside Syria—not only in providing humanitarian aid but also in rebuilding the systems that will support the country’s future.
Discussions between both parties covered mechanisms for building robust national systems to assist those in dire need, establishing a well-functioning social safety network, and restoring essential government services in sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and economic stability. These efforts aim to enable families to live with dignity, farmers to produce sustainably, children to receive proper education, and communities to thrive.
The two sides agreed to form a national working group comprising key ministries, the WFP, and partners such as the World Bank and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). This team will contribute to developing a sustainable, Syrian-led data and services framework to identify and support the most vulnerable segments of society.
Manar Salameh
