Syria development projects atop Aga Khan`s agenda
The Aga Khan yesterday concluded a three-day official visit to Syria
during which he had meetings with President Bashar al-Assad and a series
of discussions with Ministers on key development priorities for the
country.The Aga Khan's discussions with President Al-Assad touched on a
range of issues but focused on specific areas in which institutions of
the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) could expand its activities.
"Our very fruitful discussions, " said the Aga Khan, "will now enable us
to concentrate resources where the AKDN's experience can address
priority needs identified in co-operation with the Syrian Government. "
These include,"he said, "specific areas of cultural and economic
concern, education policy and institutional support in the healthcare
sector and the challenges faced by rural populations.
In his meetings with Prime Minister Naji Al-Otri, Speaker of the People?s Assembly
Mahmoud Abrash as well as ministers of culture, tourism, education, and
health, the Aga Khan reviewed both the initiatives launched by the
Network since the signing of a Framework Development Agreement with the
Syrian Government in November 2001 , and the directions of future
activity in each domain. The Network's agencies have launched a series
of programmes in the Governorates of Aleppo, Hama, Lattakia and Tartous.
These have included partnership with the Ministry of Education in Early
Childhood Development, the training of senior inspectors, the
installation of computer laboratories in schools, medical equipment
grants to hospitals, collaboration with the Ministry of Health on
nursing education and the Healthy Villages Programme, scholarships for
medical specialists, a water management and rural development programme,
conservation, restoration and urban planning at three historic sites and
microfinance programmes in four governorates. Building on a successful
series of interventions in the built environment through restoration and
rehabilitation at the Citadels of Aleppo, Masyaf and Salah al Din, the
Network will begin to explore long-term development initiatives looking
at the economic potential of cultural assets in both old cities and
rural environments around historic structures. Tourism Minister
Saadullah Agha Al-Qalaa expressed interest in how the AKDN's positive
experiences of area development in historic cities such as Cairo and
Zanzibar could benefit Damascus and Aleppo. The Minister and the Aga
Khan also discussed the relevance of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture's
Music Initiative to Syria's efforts to revitalise the heritage of the
Silk Road.With Minister of Culture Mahmoud Assayed, the Aga Khan
reviewed the multifaceted conservation and restoration initiatives at
the three Citadels. They also discussed the Network's experience of
broadening cultural education endeavours covering the plurality of
Islamic civilisations and the diversity of their cultural expressions in
areas ranging from architecture to music.
Having completed significant
restoration on sections of the Ayyubid Palace on the Citadel of Aleppo
the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is continuing work on other parts
of the monument and preparing an urban study to extend work into the Old
City. Major restoration has also been completed at the Citadel of Masyaf
and the Trust is engaged in urban planning in the historic centre of the
city having already upgraded and rehabilitated the Souq al Saghir.
Restoration of the mosque and minaret of the Ayyubid complex inside the
Citadel of Salah al Din were complemented by stabilisation of the entire
palace complex and studies regarding the visitor's centre prepared. AKTC
has also worked in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the
Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums on training and
capacity-building at each of the project sites. Not-for-profit
microfinance programmes launched by the Network are currently underway
in the Governorates of Aleppo, Hama, Lattakia and Tartous to provide
loans for a range of income-generation projects (small enterprises,
agriculture, service, transport, etc.) and housing improvement in
historic cities. Seminars to improve water use, and agricultural
techniques, and to diversify the economic base, supplement a pilot water
management programme launched by the Network in the Governorate of
Hama.
Educational initiatives discussed with Education Minister Ali Sa'ad
included private education, teacher training, and support to English
Language learning. The Network will now begin the process of identifying
sites for the establishment of one or more academic centres of
excellence that will be part of an international network recently
launched by the Aga Khan Education Services.
Recognising the sound
beginning on which the AKDN and Ministry of Health had begun to work
together, the Aga Khan and Minister of Health Iyad Al Shatti agreed to
advance the scope of activities. Following the visit to the Aga Khan
University's School of Nursing in Karachi, Pakistan by a team led by
Syria?s Director of Nursing, the Ministry and the AKDN launched a
programme in 2003 to improve the quality of nursing education and
clinical care in Syria. The AKDN is partnering with the Ministry's
Healthy Villages Programme to improve the quality of basic social
services for rural communities and improve opportunities for economic
development. AKDN support has also extended to the establishment of a
National Centre for Demographic Studies and International Health
Day.
During his stay in Damascus, the Aga Khan also met with the Governor
of Damascus with whom he went on a short walking tour of a section of
the Old City. The Aga Khan also held discussions with Sheikh Ahmed
Hassoun, the Mufti of Aleppo, on matters of mutual interest in the areas
of culture and education.However, the AKDN is a group of private,
non-denominational development agencies whose mandates range from the
fields of health and education to architecture, rural development and
the promotion of private-sector enterprise. Its agencies and
institutions, working together, seek to empower communities and
individuals, often in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living
conditions and opportunities, in regions of the Middle East, Africa and
Asia. Active in over 20 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North
America, the Network?s underlying impulse is the ethic of compassion for
the vulnerable in society and its agencies and institutions work for the
common good of all citizens, regardless of origin, gender or religion. ?
By: Nahed Hashem
+SyriaTimes
Economy
17-2-2004 Syria development projects atop Aga Khan`s agenda