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Syria cautions against ‘foreign intervention’ in constitution body

Syria said on Monday the work of any new constitutional committee should be free of foreign intervention, suggesting Damascus remains insistent that a long-awaited step in a stalled peace process should respect its sovereignty.
Syria underscored its long held position as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced in New York that agreement had been reached on the committee’s composition. Guterres added that the body would be convened in coming weeks.
UN officials say formation of a constitutional committee is key to political reforms and new elections meant to unify Syria and end a war which has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced about half of the pre-war 22 million population.
A congress convened by Russia, a leading ally of President Bashar al-Assad, last year tasked the UN envoy for Syria with forming a committee to draft a new constitution, after many rounds of talks to end the war had failed.
Syrian Foreign Minster Walid al-Moualem said after meeting Pedersen in Damascus on Monday that they had discussed the need to work on a clear mechanism for the operation and role of the constitutional committee away from “any foreign intervention,” Syrian state news agency SANA reported.
It was not immediately clear from the SANA report whether or not Moualem was reacting to the announcement by Guterres.
Pedersen in recent months has stepped up efforts to put the final touches to the committee’s formation.
He has held talks in Moscow and Western capitals, consulted Iranian and Turkish officials, and met Syrian opposition chief negotiator Nasr Hariri earlier this month. He said would head to New York to brief the Security Council about his efforts.
“Today I have concluded another round of very successful discussions ... we addressed all outstanding issues related to the constitutional committee,” Pedersen told reporters after meeting Moualem.
Disagreements have focused on the names to be included in the committee and on the scope of the work: Damascus has sought to amend the current constitution, while the opposition has demanded the drafting of a new one from scratch.
Diplomats say unless Moscow steps in forcefully, the pressure on Assad to agree to a political process that would include the Western-backed opposition will diminish.
Assad has scored extensive military gains with the help of Russia and Iran that have allowed him to recover most of the country from rebels and ISIS militants.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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