October 20, 2026
Social cooperation between Lebanon and Syria entered a new phase following official discussions hosted by the capital, Damascus, which focused on the issues of the return of displaced Syrians, the protection of children, and the exchange of experiences in the social protection sector, as well as efforts aimed at reactivating the bilateral cooperation agreement.
At the conclusion of these discussions, the Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Qabwat, and the Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs, Hanin Al-Sayed, held a joint press conference at the “Qudrat” Center for training and professional and scientific development for people with disabilities and war victims.
Syrian Minister Hind Qabwat explained, in statements reported by SANA, that the discussions centered around three main axes, including: the return of Syrians to their towns, protecting children, and exchanging social experiences. She stressed that relations between the two countries are opening a new page based on mutual respect, good neighborliness, and common interests.
Qabwat also stressed that protecting children represents a shared responsibility, considering that “the child’s place is in school, not in the labor market.” She indicated her country’s aspiration to benefit from the Lebanese experience in social protection, especially cash support programs, to develop a Syrian national system in this field, expressing Damascus’s appreciation for Lebanon’s hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrian families over the past years.
For her part, Lebanese Minister Hanin Al-Sayyed believed that the process of rebuilding Syria goes beyond rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure to include protecting people, restoring the social fabric, and restoring confidence in the future. She reported that the return of about 700,000 Syrians from Lebanon to their country demonstrates the success of the existing coordination between the two sides.
Al-Sayed stressed the need to strengthen the ministerial partnership and revive the social cooperation agreement signed in 2000, through drafting a memorandum of understanding and a joint executive program, indicating that this coordination falls within the joint governmental path and under the umbrella of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Committee.
