European delegation visits Executive Council of Democratic Autonomous Administration of Region of North and East to discuss governance and cooperation

BETH ZALIN, North and East Syria — A European delegation visited the headquarters of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES) in Beth Zalin (Qamishli) to explore governance practices and opportunities for cooperation.

The delegation was welcomed by Executive Council Co-Chair Hussein Othman, Deputy Co-Chair Gabriel Shamoun, and other Council representatives. The visiting group included Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the Left Group Martin Schirdewan (Die Linke, Germany), his assistant Nora Friese-Wendenburg, Vice President of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Philip Degenhard, Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi,DEM Party) representative Faik Yağızay, and his advisor Dr. Sarah Glynn.

During the meeting, both sides emphasized the critical need for unity and a cohesive political framework to build a Syria inclusive of all its citizens. The Executive Council provided an overview of the DAARNES governance model, particularly its co-chairship system, which has been instrumental in advancing democratic principles and power-sharing in the region. Discussions also touched on potential avenues for future collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The European delegation expressed admiration for the DAARNES governance approach and acknowledged the pivotal role of the DAARNES, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and local communities in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS).

This visit underscored the importance of strengthening international relations and highlighted the DAARNES experiment as a model of inclusive governance in a region seeking stability and peace.