The story of tomorrow’s Syria is being written now.

Ruin after ruin. Entire neighbourhoods the Darayya suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus, are gone. Darayya was particularly hard hit during the Syrian civil war. Here, the Norwegian Minister of International Development met a family who has received support from the Norwegian Refugee Council to repair their house.

They have taken in family members returning to ruins in Syria after being displaced. According to UN estimates, some 16 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance. Norway has been one of the largest humanitarian donors to Syria over the past decade.

‘This is the third political visit from Norway in six months, a clear illustration of our strong commitment to the Syrian people. The political situation is fragile, which is precisely why it is important to start reconstruction efforts without delay and provide support to ensure that people have access to basic services.

The story of Syria is being written now, and Norway is seeking to play a constructive role,’ said Minister of International Development Åsmund Aukrust.

Mr Aukrust had political meetings with Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani, Energy Minister al-Bashir and Deputy Health Minister al-Khatib. In these meetings, they confirmed health and energy as two priority areas in the reconstruction process. The Norwegian Government has already proposed to increase funding for these areas in the revised national budget. The lifting of sanctions was also highlighted as something that brings hope.

‘In order to have hope for the future, people need food on the table, access to basic services and jobs to go to. Many people are hoping that recent announcements by the US and EU that they intend to lift sanctions will lead to economic growth and development. Norway has been calling for the sanctions to be lifted since the fall of the Assad regime. We have done so because the key to building a sustainable and inclusive Syrian society lies in a well-functioning economy and the opportunity to promote development. The international community must seize this opportunity,’ said Mr Aukrust.

A new national commission on transitional justice was established earlier in May. Norway hopes to see a constructive and inclusive approach in this important work. Norway has made its expectations of the Syrian authorities clear. Syria is facing a number of major challenges, and the violent clashes in March and more recently are cause for great concern. It is vital that the transitional government succeeds in maintaining law and order in the country and embarks on a credible reconciliation process.

‘As a good friend of the Syrian people, we speak frankly when presenting our views. Norway supports a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process. The UN should play a key supporting role. The aim is for all Syrians to feel safe and to benefit from inclusive governance where women can participate fully and there is room for a vibrant civil society. Syria’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty must be respected,’ said Mr Aukrust.