The Union of Civil Society Organizations of the Islamic World (UWCSO) and the Turkish Volunteer Organizations Foundation (TGTV) shared their assessments of a field visit to Syria.
Eyüp Akbal, secretary-general of the Union of Civil Society Organizations of the Islamic World, said, according to the Turkish website SonDakika on April 29, that the total value of projects prepared by civil society organizations participating in the Syria visit delegation, aimed at reconstruction, reached about $154 million.
The Turkish delegation’s visit focused on reconstruction, the transition from humanitarian aid to sustainable development, strengthening civil society cooperation, and identifying its directions for the next phase.
The remarks came during a press conference held by the Union of Civil Society Organizations of the Islamic World (İDSB) and the Turkish Volunteer Organizations Foundation (TGTV) at the headquarters of the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) in the Eyüp Sultan district of Istanbul.
Deep Ties Between Syria and Turkey
Akbal explained that Syria today appears to be a country struggling to emerge from massive destruction and a humanitarian crisis, standing on the threshold of reconstruction and development, but facing a fragile transition because of infrastructure, employment, and security problems.
Akbal stated that the relationship between Turkey and Syria is not merely one between two neighboring states, but is based on deep ties rooted in history, culture, humanity, and society. He said they view the Syrian issue not only as a political or diplomatic matter, but as part of a shared religious belief, history, conscience, and common responsibility.
Akbal added that the main goal of their visits is to see conditions on the ground directly, hear needs directly from those concerned, meet with public institutions and local actors, and assess the future role of civil society.
The visit showed, according to Akbal, that the problem in Syria is not limited to the physical destruction left by the war, but also includes multilayered damage to infrastructure, education, health, employment, social balance, and institutional performance.
He noted that a large segment of the population is struggling to survive under extremely difficult conditions, while the housing crisis continues, educational infrastructure has been severely damaged, and access to health care services is very limited in many areas.
Water, sanitation, roads, communications, and basic public services are serious problems, according to Akbal.
Syrian authorities have set the closure of all tent camps, especially in northern Syria, and the return of people to their homes as a strategic goal, but they have stressed that this will only be achieved by providing infrastructure, job opportunities, social trust, and coordination.
Speaking about the details of the Turkish delegation’s findings, Akbal said it is no longer enough in Syria to speak only about humanitarian aid. At this stage, he said, the issue lies in moving from aid to sustainable development.
This involves enabling people to rebuild their lives in their cities, supporting young people in acquiring professions, giving women the opportunity to participate in production and social life, ensuring children return to their schools, and strengthening the social fabric, Akbal said.
One Million People in Tents and Shelters
Akbal noted that, to date, more than one million people in Syria live in tents and temporary shelters. He said that in the meetings held by the Turkish delegation, it was stressed that the goal is to gradually close the tents by 2027 and return about 1.2 million people to their homes.
Akbal believes that public institutions, universities, expert networks, and civil society organizations in Turkey can make constructive contributions to Syria’s reconstruction process, pointing to a clear desire on the Syrian side to cooperate and benefit from Turkish experience.
Akbal said some civil society organizations participating in the delegation presented a 10-year vision, while others shared their plans for 2026.
Syria Needs Support
For his part, Hamza Akbulut, chairman of the board of the Turkish Volunteer Organizations Foundation (TGTV), shared his observations from the visit. He said Syria has cultural ties with Turkey, and that Syria’s problems are also the concern of Turkish organizations.
Akbulut added that the delegation concluded during its visit that more support must be provided, noting that Syria has urgent needs in all fields.
The foundation’s president, Ismail Tuğrul, described the massive destruction in Syria, saying there is hardly any area untouched by bullets and bombs, and that the country is in urgent need of development.
Tuğrul stressed the need for the state, the business sector, and nongovernmental organizations to support the region to help Syria recover, expressing hope that their visit would contribute to accelerating this process.
Syria and Turkey have had growing relations after the fall of the Assad regime, particularly in the political and security fields, while Turkish companies have also entered the investment track in Syria.
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