Minister to be quizzed as MPs put spotlight on Syria
The International Development Committee will question Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Hamish Falconer as it explores recent humanitarian developments in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The one-off session with three panels follows the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The collapse of Assad’s regime brought Syria’s 13-year civil war to an end, though the political transition remains disputed with fast-escalating tensions in the region.
Falconer is the FCDO Minister responsible for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the first panel with the Minister the Committee will broach the Israel-US war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and probe the FCDO’s assessment of the humanitarian implications for Syria.
MPs will also examine the department’s ambitions for UK aid funding in Syria, with the Minister likely to be pressed on the scaling back of crucial programmes.
Meeting details
In the second panel, the Committee will hear from a Syrian Minister and former Chief of Programs at the Syria Civil Defence, commonly known as the White Helmets. MPs will ask about the challenges facing Syria and its interim Government and look at how UK aid can best support the Syrian Government’s strategic ambitions.
A third panel will be questioned on the main challenges for humanitarian organisations delivering assistance in Syria, including a focus on unexploded ordinances and gun ammunition stockpiles.
While post-war environments often face landmines, cluster munitions, and other unexploded air or ground-delivered munitions, Syria’s contamination is believed to be unprecedented. MPs will explore the challenges that this is presenting for rebuilding and recovery efforts, as well as considering what technical expertise the UK Government can offer.