The Syrian Future Movement welcomes the structural changes announced by the United Nations on January 15, 2026, to end “cross-border mechanisms” and centralize relief and funding operations through a “unified fund” based in Damascus.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms that the return of central funding to Damascus should be interpreted as a right of the Syrian state’s sovereignty over all its territory, a sovereignty which, in our view, can only be complete with the commitment of official institutions to treat all Syrians equally.
The Syrian Future Movement also believes that the success of this step depends on the center’s ability to demonstrate that “Damascus 2026” is an umbrella for all Syrians, from Qamishli in the north to Daraa in the south, and from Idlib in the west to Deir ez-Zor in the east.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the necessity of leveraging this international shift to fundamentally move away from the “relief baskets” model, which perpetuates dependency, towards “early sustainable recovery” projects.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the top priority this year should be the rehabilitation of productive infrastructure (irrigation, energy, and education) to ensure a safe environment and economic dignity for the one million Syrians expected to return this year, moving beyond temporary resettlement policies.
The Syrian Future Movement recalls past international experiences where the centralization of aid in frozen conflict zones led to funding being diverted, as happened at certain stages of the Oil-for-Food Program in Iraq.
Accordingly, the Syrian Future Movement calls for a transparent financial protocol that guarantees the disbursement of international grants at the real exchange rate and prevents the use of aid as a tool of monetary policy, ensuring that every humanitarian dollar reaches the ailing Syrian economy and its most vulnerable citizens.
The Syrian Future Movement declares that the suspension of cross-border funds places the “cross-border mechanism” under national oversight. Ensuring the flow of basic necessities to areas outside the central government’s administrative control is a “test of citizenship” for the Syrian state and a test of the United Nations’ competence.
The Syrian Future Movement warns against any politicization of this issue and calls for international guarantees that humanitarian needs will not be used as a tool of political or military pressure.
As a practical step to support this resolution, the Syrian Future Movement proposes the formation of a “National Platform for Humanitarian Transparency,” comprised of independent Syrian technocrats and representatives of civil society, to monitor distribution and funding processes.
The Syrian Future Movement believes this platform will serve as a guarantee to allay the concerns of international donors and build the necessary bridge of trust to encourage the voluntary and safe return of refugees.
The Syrian Future Movement views the UN resolution of 2026 as a historic opportunity to end the fragmentation of aid efforts, but one fraught with risks.
We extend our hand to every national and international effort that seeks to make this unified fund the beginning of a new era of recovery and unity, emphasizing that unified humanitarian decision-making in Damascus is a paramount national responsibility before it is a political gain.
