DAMASCUS - The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a group of development agencies with mandates ranging from health and education to architecture, culture, microfinance, rural development, disaster reduction, the promotion of private-sector enterprise and the revitalisation of historic cities.
The AKDN has pledged a long-term commitment with Syria in the mentioned areas and focused its activities during the past years on economic development, developing pioneering work, improving quality of the health and education services and supporting development initiatives of civil society as well as protecting cultural heritage including development of the sustainable tourism.
It has completed renovation works in Aleppo, Misyaf and Salahuddin archaeological castles. The network, after the agreement in Aleppo City Council, launched a project for developing the area surrounding the castle and the Old City of Aleppo and has begun implementation of the project at the end of the year 2006 on five stages to end in 2009.
In the context of its activities in the cultural development, the network has worked, since the year 2000, with the Ministry of Culture on improving infrastructure of buildings, improving the environments of cities, upgrading tourism utilities and training workers in the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums on authentication and rehabilitation.
The network initiated, in the framework of its participation in the ongoing process of economic development in Syria, to establish a program of small loans and business advisory services in six governorates, namely Hama, Aleppo, Latakia, Tartus, Damascus and Sweida. It works to expand and cover all governorates as soon as possible .
The AKDN works with the governmental and non-governmental foundations to improve criteria and quality of the health care, develop mechanisms of financing community care and it has conducted consultations with the Ministry of Health focused on the development of policies and programs of joint training with the School of Nursing and Health Sciences College and Department of Community Health affiliated to the Aga Khan University.
It works closely with the government for development of the institutional and legal work as it seeks, due to its international experience in making the cultural tourism, to explore many opportunities for the development of cultural sites in Syria in collaboration with the Ministries of Tourism, Culture and the Damascus and Aleppo governorates.
In the area of social development, the network works to improve available water management and promoting planting of drought resistant crops. Its initiatives deal with programs to increase agricultural productivity, diversify income sources, improve the living standard in rural areas complementing efforts of the other international agencies operating in the area of rural development within Syria.
During the current visit of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan,the Founder and Head of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)and his meeting with senior Syrian officials a number of agreements and understanding memos will be crystallized.
These agreements include signing memorandum of understanding with Ministries of Health and Higher Education, license of the first foundation of microfinance, contracts of tourism projects in Damascus as well as signing memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of Qensrin park in Aleppo and the investment contract related to the Serail.
By Ghossoun
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2008
