Syria’s “Syria Without Camps” Project Seeks UN Support for Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Voluntary Returns

Syria’s “Syria without Camps” camp-closure project is being discussed alongside ongoing actions by the Syrian government and growing UN support for projects aimed at rehabilitating infrastructure and encouraging voluntary returns to areas of origin.

“In Switzerland, the proceedings of the Conference of Stakeholders in Mine Action in Syria, held from June 22 to 24 and organized by Syria under the auspices of the Geneva International Centre for Mine Action for humanitarian purposes, concluded with the announcement of a transition from fragmented efforts to remove war remnants toward coordinated international cooperation and coordination”

Al-Jazeera Net

TRT عربي quoted UN Resident Coordinator in Syria Natalie Fusté on the UN’s readiness to support the vision of “Syria without Camps,” while Deputy Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Ahmed Qaziz said in a special interview that “international financing is currently not sufficient” to cover the scale of needs.

Al-Jazeera Net

Qaziz told TRT عربي that the funds available currently constitute a “small percentage” compared with the size of the proposed projects, and he said the government does not yet have final figures for the size of the needs.

He said infrastructure projects, home rehabilitation, and ensuring livelihoods that guarantee a “voluntary and dignified” return require “very large amounts,” and he described continuity of support as tied to “a ‘strong community and international will’” to back the vision.

TRT عربي reported that Qaziz said the government adopted “multi-dimensional” criteria for prioritizing camp closures, including demographic, geographic, and economic dimensions, and he added that the plan takes into account conditions of vulnerable groups such as widows, people with disabilities, and unaccompanied children.

A mine-clearing conference in Syria continued its work in Geneva under the leadership of Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Riad al‑Saleh for a second day, with technical and interactive sessions on the national framework and operational context of mine clearance.

In a statement to SANA’s correspondent, al‑Saleh said the mine and unexploded ordnance file represents one of the most pressing challenges facing Syria in the recovery phase, and he said it is directly linked to protecting people and supporting stability and development.

TRT Arabi

SANA quoted al‑Saleh saying, “Two days ago we spoke about the scale of the challenges facing Syria due to mines and unexploded ordnance; today we announce the beginning of a new phase,” describing a transition from dialogue to partnership and from planning to action.

The proceedings also reviewed the scale of mine and unexploded ordnance contamination in various areas of Syria, the humanitarian consequences, and priorities for immediate response and available national capacities and gaps.

Participants discussed the close link between mine clearance and agricultural production and rural livelihoods, emphasizing the importance of clearing agricultural lands and pastures of war debris to enable reinvestment, strengthen food security, and support economic recovery and sustainable development in affected areas.

An investigation described the death of engineer Fahd al-Ghajar during mine clearance in the village of al-Fatira in Jabal al-Zawiya, south of Idlib Governorate, after he finished work inside a house and was asked to survey surrounding land.

“Skip to main content Al-Sharaa discusses with Dutch officials the return of refugees and reconstruction News Adnan Ali — Damascus June 24, 2026 Al-Sharaa during the meeting with the Dutch delegation, Damascus, June 24, 2026 (The Presidency) Al-Sharaa during the meeting with the Dutch delegation, Damascus, June 24, 2026 (Syrian Presidency) The Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa discussed with Dutch Foreign Minister Thomas Brandsen, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Asylum and Migration Gisbertus van den Brenk, the return of Syrian refugees and reconstruction”

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed

The report said Fahd’s father, Walid al-Ghajar, told a witness account that “There was a minefield that no one knew about,” and it added that Civil Defense personnel had to pull his body by ropes because the area was densely mined.

The investigation also said Fahd had volunteered in the army as a “private first class” specializing in engineering, and it described injuries including a serious injury while tasked with removing a bomb that left him permanently disabled in his left shoulder.

In parallel, Al‑Jazeera Net reported that the Conference of Stakeholders in Mine Action in Syria concluded with an announcement of a transition from fragmented efforts toward coordinated international cooperation, and it said the conference priority focuses on expanding teams and training them to deal with mines, not just unexploded ordnance.

Al‑Jazeera Net also cited Syrian Network for Human Rights director Fadl Abdulghani saying war remnants, cluster munitions, and landmines have claimed the lives of 3,799 civilians (including 1,000 children and 377 women) from March 2011 to April 2026, and it added that the network recorded 329 civilian deaths (including 65 children and 29 women) after December 8, 2024.