Syria's Foreign Minister calls for New Constitution including Women at WEF Davos

By: WE Staff | Friday, 24 January 2025

At the Davos World Economic Forum, Syria's new Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, announced plans for a new constitution that includes all communities and a diverse committee, including women. This move is part of Syria's ambition to rebuild its economy and society after 14 years of civil war. The drafting process is expected to take up to four years and aims for more inclusive governance and power-sharing in Syria.

Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, aims to follow economic powerhouses like Singapore and Saudi Arabia in rebuilding after 14 years of war. He pledges a representative government and constitution, despite Western nations' concerns about the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's new rulers.

The FM mentioned, "All the time they ask us about how to guarantee the rights of (this or) that group and how to guarantee the rights of the woman - in Syria all of us will be under the Constitution and under the rule of law." He added "The committee of experts formed to draft a new constitution - a process that could take years - will comprise all "the different groups of Syria".

At the WEF meeting in Davos, he said "Syria's economic resources are diverse, and we have a lot of sectors - industry, tourism... of course, the economy in the future will be open and will open the road for foreign investment."

Shaibani praised Syria's diverse economy and strategic geography urging international investment and lifting economic sanctions. He criticized the US Congress' 2019 sanctions, which sparked poverty and led to the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government.

The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2025, held in Davos - Klosters, Switzerland, focused on "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" and the need for global cooperation to address challenges and opportunities presented by converging technologies. Leaders from 130 countries discussed geo-economic uncertainty, trade tensions, cultural polarization, climate anxiety, and the promise of rapid innovation in AI, quantum computing, and biotech.