Afkār is a publication of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, providing short-form analyses, insights, and perspectives on regional issues and developments from the Council's experts and outside contributors. Afkār is published in English and Arabic, and is edited by Omar H. Rahman.
As Syria rebuilds, the new government in Damascus is using energy, infrastructure, and regional connectivity not only to revive its economy but to restore its diplomatic standing and strategic relevance.
After negotiations stalled, Syria’s central government launched a military campaign to impose its terms for integration on the SDF by force. It seems to have worked.
A year after Assad’s fall, Syria is slowly emerging from immense devastation, making cautious but real progress toward stability despite major ongoing challenges.
Ahead of elections on October 5, Syria's caretaker government has imposed exclusionary electoral reforms that risk replicating the democratic facade of the past regime rather than building an inclusive and legitimate political order.
While maintaining diplomatic ties with Damascus, Beijing is keeping the new government at arm’s length, conditioning deeper ties and support for UN sanctions relief on the removal of foreign fighters from Syria.