More than two decades after the launch of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), NATO finds itself at a strategic crossroads. As it looks to attract new partners and reaffirm its relevance in a changing world, the alliance must address pressing concerns in regions where instability continues to threaten broader security. Among the most critical of these concerns is Syria – a country whose fragile recovery from over a decade of brutal conflict holds significant implications for the Middle East and beyond. NATO, with its experience, networks, and initiatives already underway, is uniquely positioned to play a constructive role in Syria’s stabilization, offering mutual benefits for regional actors and for the alliance itself.

At its 2023 Vilnius summit, NATO initiated a comprehensive review of the threats, challenges, and opportunities in its southern neighborhood, emphasizing the need to engage more meaningfully with the Middle East and Africa. A year later, during its 75th anniversary summit in Washington, the organization advanced this commitment, adopting a more strategic, action-oriented approach toward the region. NATO pledged to foster greater security and stability, seeing the peace and prosperity of the Middle East as integral to global security. This included launching an updated southern action plan, appointing a special representative for the region, and expanding initiatives like the Defense Capacity Building program and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Center in Kuwait.

Yet translating these ambitions into meaningful action requires addressing real-world crises – and Syria presents a particularly complex but promising opportunity.

Today’s Syria, though still grappling with the aftershocks of civil war, is markedly different from the Syria of a decade ago. A new government in Damascus, widely welcomed by many international actors, is working to reassert state authority across the country, dismantle rogue militias, integrate armed groups into formal security structures, and crack down on drug trafficking and arms smuggling – issues that had flourished under the prior Assad regime.

Despite these efforts, Syria faces........

© Blitz