Official Convening of the Syrian Constitutional Committee
/
4:39
/
MP4
/
376.2 MB

Edited News | UNOG

Syrian Constitutional Committee Official Convening

Syrian Constitutional Committee should push for progress for war-weary Syrians, says UN negotiator

Work on drafting a new foundational text for war-torn Syria officially began at the UN in Geneva on Wednesday with representatives from the Government of Syria and the opposition sitting face to face and preparing to discuss the country’s future for the first time in the more than eight-year conflict.

Addressing the delegations – as well as a third group representing Syrian civil society - UN Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen urged them to seize the historic opportunity of working together, for the sake of the Syrian people.

“The future constitution belongs to Syrians, to the Syrian people and them alone,” he said, adding: “Today could become the beginning of something new, something meaningful for Syria and for Syrians everywhere. And this will be led by you, and you only as both Co-Chairs have emphasized. Together, we can make this come through, tomorrow, the hard work begins.”

According to the rules of procedure in these UN-facilitated discussions, meetings of the 150-member Committee will take place in parallel with a smaller “drafting group”, made up of 15 people from each of the three delegations.

It will be tasked with writing any new constitution, depending on what is voted on by the larger Committee.

Mr. Pedersen highlighted that the existing Syrian constitution could be re-examined, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254, adopted unanimously on 18 December 2015 in New York.

“The Constitutional Committee may review the 2012 constitution including in the context of other Syrian constitutional experiences and amend the current constitution or draft a new constitution,” he said, adding that it was “the first political agreement between the Government and the Opposition to begin to implement a key aspect of Security Council resolution 2254, which called for setting a schedule and a process for drafting a new constitution.”

In addition to endorsing a road map for a negotiated peace between belligerents, the UN Security Council resolution also called for a nationwide ceasefire and free and fair elections, as part of a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned political transition.

Ahead of the official convening of the 150-member body at the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva, the organization’s Secretary-General, António Guterres, welcomed the fact that both the Government of Syria and the opposition Syrian Negotiations Commission “will sit together and take the first step on the political path out of the tragedy of the Syrian conflict”.

The UN chief also welcomed the fact that women’s representation on the committee was “very near 30 per cent”, a “minimum threshold” that the UN has long pushed for, in the interests of representing the widest possible number of Syrians affected by the conflict.

In his comments to the forum, the Government of Syria Co-Chair Ahmad Kuzbari expressed an openness to reviewing the country’s existing foundational text, the latest dating from 2012.

“It is a modern constitution,” he said, “but that does not prevent us Syrians from meeting for the purpose of considering any possible amendments to the current constitution or to consider a new constitution that would improve our reality and bring about a positive change that can be directly reflected in the lives of our people.”

And while Mr. Kuzbari underscored the fact that the Government was “committed to the success of this part of the political process”, he warned against “any occupying forces on our territory, the spoliation of the resources of our country and the continuing imposition of unilateral economic sanctions”.

These elements could threaten “the entire political process”, he said, insisting that they also breached the Charter of the United Nations and international legitimacy.

From the Opposition, Committee Co-Chair Hadi Albahra underscored his delegation’s desire for progress in negotiations, noting nonetheless that “the 150 people meeting today in this room have diverging opinions on many issues”.

Be that as it may, “after eight painful years of suffering in Syria, we came here determined to look for similarities and not differences”, Mr. Albahra said, highlighting that the conflict had claimed one million lives and displaced millions more. “We are fully aware of the aspirations of a whole nation that awaits salvation from unspeakable suffering.”

He also appealed for progress on other confidence-building measures on the ground in Syria, particularly the release of prisoners - or information about them.

“We must achieve the release of all detainees at the hands of all parties and to discover the fate of the missing and the forcibly displaced, we must respect the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones,” he said.

  1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
  2. Wide shot, journalists and members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in the Council Chamber at United Nations Geneva.
  3. Medium shot, Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, and Syrian Constitutional Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Ahmad Kuzbari from the Government and Mr. Hadi Albahra from the opposition, Council Chamber.
  4. SOUNDBITE (English) — Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria: “Today could become the beginning of something new, something meaningful for Syria and for Syrians everywhere. And this will be led by you, and you only as both Co-Chairs have emphasized. Together, we can make this come through, tomorrow, the hard work begins.”
  5. Medium shot, Members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, Council Chamber.
  6. SOUNDBITE (English) — Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria: “This is the first political agreement between the Government and the Opposition to begin to implement a key aspect of Security Council resolution 2254, which called for setting a schedule and a process for drafting a new constitution.”
  7. Medium shot, panning, Members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, Council Chamber.
  8. SOUNDBITE (English)— Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria: “The Constitutional Committee may review the 2012 constitution including in the context of other Syrian constitutional experiences and amend the current constitution or draft a new constitution.”
  9. Medium shot, panning, Members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, Council Chamber.
  10. SOUNDBITE (English) — Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria: “The future constitution belongs to Syrians, to the Syrian people and them alone.”
  11. Close up, large TV screen showing “Syrian Constitutional Committee UN Geneva”, Council Chamber.
  12. SOUNDBITE (English) — Ahmad Kuzbari, Co-Chair (Government of Syria): “It is a modern constitution but that does not prevent us Syrians from meeting for the purpose of considering any possible amendments to the current constitution or to consider a new constitution that would improve our reality and bring about a positive change that can be directly reflected in the lives of our people .”
  13. Medium shot, podium with speakers (Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, and Syrian Constitutional Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Ahmad Kuzbari from the Government and Mr. Hadi Albahra from the Opposition), Council Chamber.
  14. SOUNDBITE (English) — Hadi Albahra, Co-Chair (opposition): “We must achieve the release of all detainees at the hands of all parties and to discover the fate of the missing and the forcibly displaced, we must respect the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones.”
  15. Medium shot, Members of the Committee with photographer passing in front, Council Chamber.
  16. SOUNDBITE (English) — Ahmad Kuzbari, Co-Chair (Government of Syria): “We are committed to the success of this part of the political process. At the same time, we affirm that the presence of any occupying forces on our territory, the spoliation of the resources of our country and the continuing imposition of unilateral economic sanctions threaten the entire political process, as well as being in contradiction with international legitimacy and breaching the Charter of the United Nations.”
  17. Medium shot, Members of the Committee, panning, Council Chamber.
  18. SOUNDBITE (English) — Hadi Albahra, Co-Chair (opposition): “We all know that the 150 people meeting today in this room have diverging opinions on many issues. Some of these are simple and some others are substantive, but after eight painful years of suffering in Syria, we came here determined to look for similarities and not differences; we are fully aware of the aspirations of a whole nation that awaits salvation from unspeakable suffering.”
  19. Wide shot, panning, Council Chamber gallery, journalists and TV crews.
  20. Medium shot, Members of the Committee, Council Chamber.

Similar Stories

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNWOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNDP , UNHCR

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025 ENG FRA

Sudan: urgent help needed as more than 1.3 million war-displaced people begin to return home

As conflict rages on across parts of Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged in the past four month, spurring more than one million internally displaced Sudanese to make their way home, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A further 320,000 cross-border refugees have come back to Sudan since last year, mainly from Egypt and South Sudan, to assess the current situation before deciding to return to their country for good.

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , WHO

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: SOS messages describe people fainting from hunger; UN health worker detained

Worrying alerts from United Nations staff in Gaza who have been fainting from hunger and exhaustion over the past 48 hours have increased fears for people’s survival in the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.