Question 14329 — foreign policy

Summary

Mr. Thomas Portes draws the attention of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs to the situation in northern and eastern Syria and the ongoing integration process between the transitional government in Damascus, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). He wishes to alert the Government in a context where France intended to play a diplomatic role in the region, in particular following the reception, in May 2025, by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, of Ahmed al-Charaa, as well as the support expressed by French diplomacy, through an official press release, for the agreement concluded on January 29, 2026 between the authorities of Damascus and the Syrian Kurdish forces. However, the latest developments reveal serious challenges threatening the balanced implementation of this agreement as well as the regional stability. Difficulties are accumulating and weakening the progress made in recent years, causing deep concern among the stakeholders concerned. Field and administrative data reveal growing imbalances in implementation mechanisms, threatening to compromise the principle of partnership and inclusion on which the agreement of January 29, 2026 is based. If this process represents a important opportunity to strengthen stability, its current trajectory raises concerns that require rigorous monitoring and rapid intervention. Firstly, there appears to be a lack of concrete commitments and imbalances in implementation on the part of the authorities in Damascus. While local actors respected their commitments, particularly in terms of redeployment, support for security forces and cooperation regarding resources and border posts, several fundamental commitments remain unapplied or very partially implemented, creating an imbalance directly affecting trust between the parties. Secondly, there are increasing indicators of partnership erosion. On an institutional level, the use of direct appointment mechanisms, to the detriment of participatory processes, leads to a weakening of local trust, a decline in the effectiveness of institutions and growing social protest. On the political level, no tangible progress has been observed in the launch of the constitutional process or in the establishment of representative bodies. Furthermore, the reduction in the inclusion of local staff in the new structures weakens institutional stability and the feeling of partnership. Third, priority humanitarian questions remain unanswered. Persistent delays in prisoner files, despite previous commitments, are exacerbating social tensions. Likewise, the slow return of displaced people, despite sometimes favorable conditions, limits the prospects for stabilization and worsens the humanitarian situation. Fourth, these blockages have direct impacts on the stability. The delay in opening crossing points, as well as the lack of progress in certain essential sectors, notably education, is putting increasing pressure on the economic and social situation, with risks of increased destabilization. Fifth, the analysis of the general trend indicates that the implementation process is likely to evolve from an integration process based on partnership towards a processes with unbalanced outcomes, which would damage trust and reduce the agreement's chances of success as a path to lasting stability. In addition, concerns are emerging regarding higher education, with the transitional government not seeming, at this stage, to demonstrate a clear desire to recognize diplomas awarded in universities in northern and eastern Syria, particularly those from a teaching in Kurdish developed for several years in Rojava. Furthermore, the use of administrative appointments based on loyalty criteria raises questions about compliance with the principles of inclusion. Finally, a certain wait-and-see attitude is noted in a regional context marked by strong geopolitical uncertainties, particularly linked to tensions between the United States of America, Israel and Iran. In this context, the current phase calls for a more active role from international partners and friendly countries, including France, in particular to guarantee a balanced implementation of the agreement, encourage participatory mechanisms in the management of civil institutions, accelerate the settlement of humanitarian issues, in particular that of prisoners, support the launch of a political process based on real representation and strengthen confidence-building measures, in particular by opening crossing points and improving services. Consequently, he asks what concrete initiatives the Government intends to take to support the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, contribute to a balanced implementation of the agreement of January 29, 2026 and guarantee an inclusive political process, in accordance with the principles of stability and representation of local populations.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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