Syrian officials and the United Nations discussed Monday how to align international recovery programs with a government plan to end the country’s displacement camps, as Damascus seeks to facilitate the return of hundreds of thousands of Syrians to their homes.
The talks in Damascus brought together U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih and a Syrian committee overseeing the “Syria Without Camps” initiative.
They focused on identifying areas that should receive priority assistance and rehabilitating infrastructure and basic services needed for displaced people to return.
The plan calls for a gradual shift away from humanitarian programs centered on camps toward longer-term recovery projects in areas of return.
Syrian officials say the initiative is not intended to force people out of camps before conditions are suitable, but to create the housing, services and economic opportunities needed for voluntary, safe and sustainable returns.
