Taking charge
A conversation with Raed al-Saleh

In the aftermath of Assad’s ouster, Syria’s transitional government has sought to distinguish itself by drawing figures from outside HTS. Civil society leaders and NGO veterans have taken on ministerial portfolios, bringing with them a record of grassroots engagement and international advocacy. Their arrival signals an effort to rebuild trust between state and society, but also raises difficult questions about the relationship between NGOs and the government, the role of international donors, and the pursuit of justice for crimes committed during the war. 

To explore these issues, Syria in Transition spoke with Raed al-Saleh, formerly head of the Syrian Civil Defence, now serving as Minister for Disaster and Emergency Management.

As head of the White Helmets, you were a leading figure in Syrian civil society and the NGO community. Now you serve as a government minister. How would you describe that transition? Do you think we’ll see more NGO leaders stepping into government positions in the future?

Al-Saleh: For me, the transition from leading a civil society organisation like the Syrian Civil Defence (White Helmets) to serving in government is essentially a continuation of the same path, although with different tools and responsibilities that come with state institutions. The essence of the work, however, remains unchanged. 

Civil society experience brings with it a unique mix of diverse perspectives, flexibility, and an exceptional closeness to communities and their needs. That is a real advantage. 

After 14 years of upheaval, I am trying to apply what I have learned to the level of policy and decision-making to serve all Syrians, as I always have. 

We are at a moment where civil society expertise is rapidly being integrated into state institutions, especially in the humanitarian and service sectors. Many civil society leaders have already joined the new government. I believe this is an important development because these individuals bring skills and perspectives that only civil society can cultivate. Their impact is already visible on the ground. I expect we will see more CSO leaders assume government roles in the future, and it will help rebuild trust between the state, civil society, and communities.

For many years, Russia led a disinformation campaign portraying the White Helmets, which you headed, as terrorists. Yet the White Helmets recovered Syrian civilians, both dead and alive, from buildings destroyed by Russian air strikes. You raised these and other crimes before the Security Council in December 2024. How do you view Russia’s continued presence in Syria amid rumors that its influence may even be growing? As a minister, how do you reconcile this reality with your past experiences?
Al-Saleh: For 14 years, the Syrian people have been our compass. When I led the White Helmets, we sought to give voice to the victims and to reflect their suffering. Today, in government, I continue to serve that mission, though through different tools and within the framework of state institutions.

The objectives are to achieve justice and restore dignity for every Syrian who lost their life or loved ones. Our principles have not changed. Justice for the victims and reparations remain — and will always remain — our core demands.  

Does this mean that initiatives to hold Russia — as well as other countries responsible for crimes against Syrian civilians — accountable are already underway? Or will such efforts only be pursued once the political circumstances are more favourable?
Al-Saleh: What is already underway are the efforts led by the Transitional Justice Committee that is investigating crimes and the level of individual and organisational involvement in the crimes committed against Syria and Syrians — regardless of who committed them.

From what we know, not a single minister from the transitional government has met with RC/HC Adam Abdelmoula. This is widely attributed to Syrians’ disappointment with what they see as the UN Country Team’s support for the Assad regime under the banner of humanitarian pragmatism. Is that the reason you haven’t met with him, if you haven’t? And what would need to change for the transitional government — and the Syrian people — to trust the UN again?

Al-Saleh: The United Nations must base its strategies and programmes on the actual needs of the Syrian people. This requires direct and ongoing coordination with the government as the most effective way to close gaps and ensure real impact. In the past, however, some UN programs were inappropriately channeled through organisations close to Bashar al-Assad, which led to weak and very often politicised responses.

Under the previous regime, there was a clear disconnect between UN planning and the real humanitarian priorities inside Syria. Too often, humanitarian and development work was politicised or even corrupted, despite the UN's awareness of these systemic failures. 

For trust to be rebuilt, the UN needs to build genuine partnerships with organisations and the Syrian government bodies that have a successful record in project implementation. Strategies must be clearly aligned with national priorities, which in turn reflect community needs. Only then can the response be both effective and sustainable. 

You emphasise that the UN must get its needs assessments right. Does that mean it should not conduct independent needs assessments anymore and instead rely solely on those led by the government?
Al-Saleh: Unfortunately, as the result of previous experiences, caution and scepticism are required when it comes to needs assessments. We treat any assessments with precision and suspicion, but this certainly does not mean compromising the independence of the UN. What we are doing now is building trust and creating joint approaches to coordination with the UN to close the gaps. The effects of this improved coordination will materialise gradually in our prioritisation and improved response to the needs of communities across the country.

How has the humanitarian response, overseen by the UN Country Team, changed since Assad’s ouster? Has it become more effective? And what do you see as the greatest areas where improvement is needed?
Al-Saleh: So far, the UN has not met the scale of Syria’s humanitarian needs. In places like  and Daraa, the response has been slow and limited, even though conditions are very difficult.

At this stage, we are working to build a bridge of trust between UN agencies and the government through joint projects that reflect the real needs of the population. We actively engage UN agencies and other international actors in the analytical and conceptual processes so that the response is holistic and grounded in reality. In my opinion, the UN needs to strengthen coordination with relevant parties and get closely connected to the field. That said, we see positive signs that things are gradually improving.

Can you elaborate on what you see as the positive signs of improvement? Have these developments already translated into regular meetings between you and the UN RC/HC? If not, what obstacles remain to this kind of engagement?
Al-Saleh: The Syrian government is genuinely open to restoring trust and creating new coordination mechanisms – and improving existing ones – because we know that it is the responsibility of all parties to play their role to overcome Syria’s enormous challenges.

The positive signs can be seen in the increasing number of meetings and workshops we held on several occasions, involving leadership from various UN agencies and government institutions. For example, we held coordination meetings to improve the humanitarian response in Suwayda and Daraa, including with UN OCHA and other relevant actors; in addition to other technical meetings about strategies to respond to drought as well as emergency preparedness. Our approach is promising and aims to improve communications and means of coordination for better response.

Most aid and development NGOs created over the past 14 years were built on a wartime footing. They were designed to meet the urgent needs of Syrians during conflict and were supported largely by external donors. Now that Syria has entered a new phase of state-building, how do you see the future role of the NGO sector?
Al-Saleh: NGOs will continue to play a vital role, and this role must complement — not compete with — the essential work of the government. The Syrian government is responsible for setting strategies based on the priorities and needs of its citizens, and it works tirelessly to address them, despite challenges of limited resources and stability.

There are sovereign sectors that only the state can manage, while in other sectors integration between the government and NGOs is essential to ensure an effective response. Centralised coordination and direction by the government are key to building a sustainable framework for humanitarian and service delivery. 

The greatest challenge is to strengthen communication channels between all actors, so that needs on the ground are clearly understood and translated into practical programmes that close gaps and meet community priorities.