IGP Hosts Student Roundtable with Syria’s Minister of Information

On September 23, the Institute of Global Politics welcomed Dr. Hamza al-Mustafa, Syria’s Minister of Information, for an engaging roundtable discussion with students. SIPA Dean Emerita Lisa Anderson moderated the discussion between al-Mustafa and Jon Finer, former principal deputy national security advisor in the Biden administration and IGP Carnegie Distinguished Fellow.

The roundtable marked a unique opportunity for students to hear from a senior representative of Syria’s transitional government, less than a year after the sudden collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. 

By early 2024, it appeared the Assad regime had emerged victorious following 13 years of civil war that claimed roughly 500,000 lives and displaced over half of Syria’s population. To the international community, it seemed like Assad's authoritarian government, whose brutal repression of the Arab Spring protests had sparked armed rebellion, would retain power. 

That consensus was upended after rebels advanced on Damascus and seized power, marking one of the most dramatic regime changes in recent memory.

Al-Mustafa opened the roundtable by commenting on the challenges of regime change and rebuilding after civil war. He emphasized how the deep humanitarian and societal scars left over from the war impeded the new government of Syria’s ability to rebuild and put the country back together. His government inherited a bureaucracy with weak institutions. He emphasized the need for the government to reestablish public trust and engage in civil discourse. 

A key priority, al-Mustafa said, is to create a professional and objective press rooted in transparency. Despite challenges, al-Mustafa remained defiant. “Building constructive and professional journalism is a gradual process,” he said. 

Beyond Syria’s borders, al-Mustafa said that the government is striving to reintroduce his country into the world and region. He urged the international community to assist in Syria’s rebuilding and support the nation’s reconciliation efforts.

Finer offered a small note of optimism to close out the discussion, reflecting on the improbability of the moment and its historic nature.

“Change is often not a linear path towards success,” he noted, “but everybody is invested in Syria’s success.”