The Syrian Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor announced the formation of a new Board for the Syria Trust for Development and its renaming, along with the resumption of its activities.
On Thursday, the ministry issued decisions (106-107-108-125) for the year 2025 concerning the formation of a new board for the “Syria Trust for Development” and its name change to the “Syrian Development Organization” while adopting a new internal system and resuming its operations.
In a statement, the ministry said that its decisions were based on the final outcomes submitted by the committee tasked with developing the organizational framework and managing the work of the Syria Trust for Development, as well as on considerations of public interest.
The ministry clarified that the new Board of Trustees for the “Syrian Development Organization” consists of: Mohammad Reda Jalkhi, Abeer Mohammad, Obeid al-Hamid al-Khalid, Zaki Mazeed, and Maxim Khalil.
The ministry recommended adopting the fundamental regulations proposed by the designated committee, noting that this system “takes effect from the date of the decision’s issuance, as part of efforts to enhance transparency and good governance within the institution, while providing a legal framework to regulate its work and define its responsibilities and powers.”
It added that “in accordance with these recommendations, the organization will resume its activities in a manner that ensures the achievement of its objectives and enhances its operational effectiveness,” according to the statement.
Severing the “Syria Trust for Development” from Asma al-Assad
In December, the Ministry of Social Affairs issued a decision to dissolve the Board of Trustees of the “Syria Trust for Development,” which had been controversial since its establishment under the patronage of Asma al-Akhras, the wife of deposed Bashar al-Assad. The organization was described as a “soft” front for the regime and quickly became a tool for consolidating its control and attracting external support before ultimately meeting its end following changes announced by the new Syrian government.
At the time, the ministry’s decision terminated all powers granted to the previous board, including administrative procedures, management of bank accounts, and any financial or legal obligations related to the organization’s activities.
Following this, the ministry issued another decision, signed by Minister of Social Affairs Fadi al-Qasim, mandating the formation of a specialized committee to assess the organization’s overall situation and develop a plan for restructuring its governance to align with its objectives. The restructuring was to be completed within a maximum period of 30 days from the date of the decision.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
