According to the latest data published by the IMF in June, the reconstruction of Syria’s physical infrastructures alone will require from 100 to 200 billion dollars. The socioeconomic challenges created by this reconstruction will actually be much greater, though, and affect the country’s entire social, political and economic fabric. 

The long-lasting wars and conflicts in which some Middle Eastern and North African countries have become trapped are devastating their infrastructures and resources at every level, in addition to causing such major casualties and suffering among their populations, and the humanitarian crisis which has ensued throughout the entire region.  

With the objective of analyzing the challenges in reconstruction that will arise once the conflicts have come to an end and suggest potential proposals for future reconstruction processes, Casa Árabe and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), with the support of the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute (Icex), are organizing two work meetings in Barcelona and Madrid on reconstruction processes in post-conflict countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a particular emphasis on Syria, Iraq and Libya. The first meeting was held in Barcelona on April 11, and the second will be held in Madrid on September 19.

This second meeting, which has been given additional support by the Spanish International Cooperation and Development Agency (AECID), Aresbank and Ambar Connect, will be dedicated to analyzing the factors existing in reconstruction processes in the post-conflict countries of the region from the perspective of political economics. The event will be divided into five themed sessions. The first will deal with the debate over the different models and focuses to use in reconstruction processes; the second will discuss the perspective of the different role-players involved in those processes; thirdly, the challenges and aspects related with development aid and cooperation will be analyzed; a fourth panel will examine the different models and alternatives for financing and the effects they have on how these processes are defined and carried out; last of all, the final session will be devoted to the legal and institutional factors involved in these processes.

These events are organized into meetings by experts and representatives from multilateral institutions, specialized organizations and companies from different countries. Their intention is to analyze the complex series of factors and challenges that will arise in the reconstruction of these countries and their impact on different parts of their economies and societies, on the basis of experiences in other cases when reconstruction has occurred in the region, while bearing in mind the inclusion of a broad range of involved role-players. The ultimate objective is to publish a document with the conclusions and proposals from the two meetings to serve as a preliminary evaluation on the different steps to be taken and initiatives to be implemented in future reconstruction processes. 

The whole event will be held in English. Given the number of individuals who may attend and the specialized nature of the subject matter, access will be given by invitation only, from the organizing institutions.

Attendance by invitation only. Further information at Casa Árabe (confirmaciones@casaarabe.es)

Schedule of the Madrid meeting on September 19, 2016