Oslo, Oct. 3 (SANA) Syrian and Norwegian officials held talks on recovery and development cooperation, focusing on basic services, infrastructure and ways to link support for refugee returns with sustainable development programs.
The Syrian delegation was headed by Nahla Othman, director of the Department of Expatriates and Refugee Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, while the Norwegian side was led by Tine Mørch Smith, director general for international development at Norway’s Foreign Ministry.
Representatives of Norwegian development and Middle East and North Africa teams, as well as the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, took part in the meeting.
Abdulkarim Ekzayez, a representative of the International Cooperation Department at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, presented Syria’s national recovery priorities and outlined the need to shift from humanitarian response toward recovery and development.
Ekzayez stressed the importance of directing international support in line with national priorities and in direct coordination with relevant government bodies. A representative of the Justice Ministry also attended the meeting.
The two sides discussed opportunities to expand Norwegian cooperation in basic services, infrastructure and institutional capacity-building, as well as ways to link support for return with recovery and sustainable development programs.
Earlier in the day, the Syrian delegation held talks at Norway’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security on migration, voluntary return and bilateral cooperation. The discussions covered legal and procedural issues related to return, as well as voluntary, safe and sustainable returns alongside improved conditions, public services and opportunities for stability in Syria.
Kh.A / Abd.Rh
