IFRC's Disaster Law Programme first engaged with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARC) in the fourth quarter of 2024, initially focused on building the capacity of national and local staff on the concept of the auxiliary role and its practical implications for SARC's relationship with public authorities. The profound political and administrative transformation Syria underwent from December 2024 onwards significantly intensified this engagement — prompting IFRC to provide targeted technical support to SARC in clarifying its auxiliary role as recognized under Syria's existing legal and regulatory framework, and in navigating its evolving relationship with newly established public institutions.
Following a series of technical missions to Syria, IFRC Disaster Law established a tripartite collaboration with SARC and the newly created Ministry of Emergencies and Disaster Management, centered on a comprehensive mapping of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing disaster risk management in Syria. A call for applications for a legal consultant was issued in early 2026, with the mapping expected to commence during the second quarter of 2026. Drawing on IFRC's dedicated disaster law tools, this exercise will produce a clear picture of existing rules, regulations, and institutional arrangements across all stages of the disaster management cycle — and will lay the groundwork for a structured review process aimed at strengthening and updating these frameworks in line with Syria's new institutional and administrative realities and with international standards.
