682 Projects Ready
Syria's Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management said on August 16, 2026, that 682 projects are ready for funding to rehabilitate infrastructure in areas where displaced residents are returning. It described the effort as part of a push for a voluntary, safe and sustainable return.
The ministry said it leads the steering committee for the return of the displaced and the emptying of camps, working with several ministries and provinces to restore basic services in areas of origin.
Priority Communities
Surveys identified 3,344 communities to which displaced people belong. Of these, 120 communities in the provinces of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama were placed in the first priority tier.
Officials said that tier alone could allow the return of about 65% or more of the people currently living in camps.
What Gets Rebuilt
The projects cover schools, hospitals, clinics, bakeries, sewage networks, municipal buildings and other essential services, alongside home repairs and job creation. Infrastructure was described as the backbone of any environment that can support return.
Clearing mines and rubble was set out as a central part of the plan, with surveys planned in the priority areas before work begins.
International Coordination
The ministry said it is coordinating with the United Nations and international and local organizations to align the projects and avoid duplication, including on jobs, social cohesion, home repairs and transporting people from camps back to their areas.
A first package of projects is expected to be completed by the end of August 2026, with additional housing repairs beginning in cooperation with civil-society groups.
Decree No. 59
The work follows Decree No. 59 of 2026, issued on March 10, 2026 by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, which formed a committee, chaired by the minister of emergency and disaster management, to prepare infrastructure in destroyed areas for the return of residents.