Damascus, July 5 (SANA) Chemonics has opened an office in Syria to expand its cooperation with Syrian institutions, organizations and local communities in support of education, basic services, emergency response and the country’s recovery efforts.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, attended by government officials, representatives of partner organizations and local and international institutions, Chemonics President and CEO Jamey Butcher said the opening of the Damascus office reflects the company’s commitment to supporting Syrian-led recovery through long-term partnerships and specialized technical expertise.
Butcher said Chemonics has worked in Syria for more than 14 years, supporting early recovery, education, civil society and emergency response programs in partnership with Syrian institutions and local communities.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working alongside Syrian partners to promote inclusive and sustainable development based on local community needs.
According to Chemonics, the company has implemented stabilization and development programs in Syria worth more than $572 million since 2012 through 24 projects, benefiting nearly 600 local Syrian organizations.
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh said during the ceremony that the opening of Chemonics’ permanent office in Damascus reflects the shift from partnerships born during the humanitarian response phase to partnerships focused on recovery, reconstruction and building the future.
“Our cooperation with Chemonics began nearly 12 years ago under extremely difficult humanitarian conditions, and the equipment and machinery it provided helped strengthen rapid and effective response capacity,” al-Saleh said.
Bahjat Hajjar, representing the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, said cooperation among government institutions, civil society, the private sector and international partners is essential to supporting Syria’s recovery and reconstruction.
He said the government is shifting from humanitarian response to recovery through coordinated partnerships, with a focus on local priorities and Syrian ownership of the process. Hajjar added that the government’s “Syria Without Camps” initiative requires sustained investment and broad cooperation to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced Syrians while promoting long-term stability and development.
N.J/ABD
