Damascus, (SANA)-Minister of Local Administration Tamer al-Hija on Thursday discussed with French State Minister for Urban Affairs Fadela Amara prospects of cooperation in local development and youth issues.
Minister al-Hija highlighted the close Syrian-French relations, particularly in the scientific domain which have contributed to passing a law on regional planning for the first time in Syria.
Al-Hija reviewed a number of joint projects with the European Union (EU), in addition to the direct Syrian-French cooperation represented by the projects which are being carried out by the French Development Agency (AFD) in Syria.
He indicated that the AFD expressed readiness to provide 20 million euros to support five studied projects with the EU in the domains of environment and transport in Aleppo, one of the biggest Syrian cities.
The Minister added that the AFD is willing to support Syria in tackling random housing where it has inspected what the Ministry of Local Administration has achieved in this domain through qualitative meetings, indicating that his ministry has a clear vision on organizing random housing in Syria to be officially accredited by the government.
He underlined the importance of signing twinning agreements between Syrian and French cities, particularly Aleppo and Lyon that would allow the two sides to exchange expertise and successful solutions in the domain of local administration as Aleppo seeks to benefit from the French expertise in the domain of inland transport.
For her part, Minister Amara expressed her country's desire to push the bilateral cooperation forwards through establishing partnerships between the two countries and activating twinning agreements between Syrian and French cities.
Amara invited Syria to participate in the international symposium on cities and residential areas to be held in France next September, considering that this participation would beef up partnership and friendly relations between the two countries.
The Minister indicated that she inspected the work mechanism of many NGOs in Syria which care for issues of mutual concern that could further activate cooperation between the two countries, particularly /Shabab (youth) Project/ which aims at developing the capabilities of young people and integrating them in their society.
She said that many groups will be formed to follow up the outcome of her current visit to Syria and to exchange opinions on different issues related to urban planning and development process in away that contributes to building an integral society according to both countries' cultural vision.
In turn, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Diyala Haj-Aref discussed with Amara cooperation in projects related to professional qualifying of youth, women and the disabled.
Haj-Aref pointed to the importance of improving domestic skills to keep up with modernity while preserving traditions, especially in old cities.
The Minister said empowering women and curbing poverty undertaken by the government in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) targets women primarily to empower them economically and socially, and renders necessary support to enable them to launch their own projects.
For her part, Amara hailed Syria's efforts to help women assume their roles, pointing to the Syrian women's role in social development.
Amara stressed the importance of forming a joint work team defining partnerships with Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, pointing to the importance of the role that media plays in raising social awareness for assimilating the disabled academically and politically.
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2010
