Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam and Spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, has concluded his eight-day visit to Syria with a second round of extensive discussions with Syrian President Bashir Al-Assad.

The Agha Khan and Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa Miro also signed a framework Development Agreement between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and Syria.

The agreement will facilitate the effective functioning and optimum utilisation of human and financial resources that the AKDN would mobilise for Syria. It also establishes an AKDN representative office in Damascus.

Prime Minister Miro, who was accompanied by ministers heading department concerned with social and economic development, pledged the commitment of the Syrian government to provide the AKDN with whatever assistance it needed to realise development objectives of mutual importance to Syria and the Network.

Underlining the long-term nature of the commitment represented by this agreement, the Aga Khan referred to the beginning of a "partnership for development into the future not constrained by time."

"We look forward to this collaboration," he said, "so that we can prioritise the greatest necessities where you feel strategies of partnership are most urgent."

During his visit to Syria, the Aga Khan held discussions at the highest levels of government on a number of initiatives that the AKDN is preparing to launch in Syria. These include investment in information technology for education, support for the healthcare system through assistance to hospitals, strengthening of resources in the area of early childhood development and providing expertise for water resource management. The Aga Khan had the opportunity to review personally work that has been completed and that is underway by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Syria. The review includes site visits to the Citadel of Aleppo and to the Citadel and city of Masyaf.