Syrian Development Organization

The Syrian Development Organization (formerly the Syria Trust for Development, STD) is a Syrian non-governmental organization founded on 15 July 2001 as the "Syrian Fund for Rural Development." It was created as a non-governmental institution and obtained its legal license from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour in April 2007. In 2007, Syrian NGOs were grouped into the Syria Trust for Development conglomerate, which eventually employed around 700 people. The organization was founded and directed by Asma al-Assad, the former First Lady of Syria, until 2024. It is described as a "government-oriented non-governmental organization" (GO-NGO) that held a near-monopoly over Syria's associative field, preventing the emergence of independent or religiously oriented NGOs and channeling most foreign aid. The STD centralized all access requests from humanitarian NGOs operating in Syria, which could not operate without its intermediation. The United Nations and the European Union themselves accepted, under constraint, to collaborate with the STD to maintain their activities in areas controlled by the Bashar al-Assad regime. UNESCO is a partner of the STD. The organization has been the target of US sanctions, notably under the Caesar Act, and has called for the lifting of sanctions. According to Ayman Abdul Nour, it sends people to Europe "to convey the regime's discourse, particularly on sanctions, under the cover of 'civil society,' given that government officials cannot do this." According to Enab Baladi, its actions prompted the US administration to impose sanctions on Asma al-Assad and several family members. Joel Rayburn stated that "sanctions were imposed on Asma al-Assad's family because it is trying to control more assets and resources from the heart of the Assad regime's mafia." In 2025, the organization adopted its current name under the Syrian transitional government. The STD is accused of diverting a large portion of funds allocated to humanitarian aid; only 20% of its budget, mainly funded by UN agencies, is said to be distributed to intended beneficiaries, while the majority of funds is captured by the regime, according to local actors. For Laura Ruiz de Elvira and Tina Zintl, this tactic of creating GO-NGOs, including the STD, was an effective method to strengthen the regime's power and control the associative sector. According to Ayman al-Dassouky, the STD "played a major role in the government's plan to defeat the Syrian revolution. It was used to control emerging civil society and attract foreign funds. It became the main public relations tool with the West and the international community, capable of redirecting international aid to the regime and its associates." This analysis aligns with that of Claudie Fioroni, for whom "development discourses and recipes are taken up and used by the STD to legitimize reforms supported by the presidential couple with its beneficiaries and public partners, while maintaining political lock-in on Syrian society."

The Syrian Development Organization, originally known as the Syria Trust for Development (STD), was established on 15 July 2001 as the "Syrian Fund for Rural Development," a non-governmental institution. In April 2007, it obtained a legal license from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour. In 2007, Syrian NGOs were grouped into the Syria Trust for Development conglomerate, which eventually employed around 700 people. The organization was founded and directed by Asma al-Assad, the former First Lady of Syria, until 2024. It is described as a "government-oriented non-governmental organization" (GO-NGO) that held a near-monopoly over Syria's associative field, preventing the emergence of independent or religiously oriented NGOs and channeling most foreign aid. The STD centralized all access requests from humanitarian NGOs operating in Syria, which could not operate without its intermediation. The United Nations and the European Union themselves accepted, under constraint, to collaborate with the STD to maintain their activities in areas controlled by the Bashar al-Assad regime. UNESCO is a partner of the STD. The organization has been the target of US sanctions, notably under the Caesar Act, and has called for the lifting of sanctions. According to Ayman Abdul Nour, it sends people to Europe "to convey the regime's discourse, particularly on sanctions, under the cover of 'civil society,' given that government officials cannot do this." According to Enab Baladi, its actions prompted the US administration to impose sanctions on Asma al-Assad and several family members, including her father Fawaz el-Akhras, Sahar Otri al-Akhras, Firas and Iyad al-Akhras. Joel Rayburn stated that "sanctions were imposed on Asma al-Assad's family because it is trying to control more assets and resources from the heart of the Assad regime's mafia." In 2025, the organization adopted its current name under the Syrian transitional government. The STD is accused of diverting a large portion of funds allocated to humanitarian aid; only 20% of its budget, mainly funded by UN agencies, is said to be distributed to intended beneficiaries, while the majority of funds is captured by the regime, according to local actors. For Laura Ruiz de Elvira and Tina Zintl, this tactic of creating GO-NGOs, including the STD, was an effective method to strengthen the regime's power and control the associative sector. According to Ayman al-Dassouky, the STD "played a major role in the government's plan to defeat the Syrian revolution. It was used to control emerging civil society and attract foreign funds. It became the main public relations tool with the West and the international community, capable of redirecting international aid to the regime and its associates." This analysis aligns with that of Claudie Fioroni, for whom "development discourses and recipes are taken up and used by the STD to legitimize reforms supported by the presidential couple with its beneficiaries and public partners, while maintaining political lock-in on Syrian society."

• 2025

  Adopted its current name, Syrian Development Organization, under the Syrian transitional government.

• 2024

  Asma al-Assad ceased directing the organization.

• 2007

  Obtained legal license from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour in April 2007; Syrian NGOs grouped into the Syria Trust for Development conglomerate.

• 2001

  Founded as the "Syrian Fund for Rural Development" on 15 July 2001.

Government-oriented non-governmental organization (GO-NGO) with near-monopoly over Syria's associative field.

Product categories. Humanitarian aid coordination · Development programs · Civil society programs

• Fund diversion allegations

• Tool for locking down civil society

Read more

1. 1Syrian Development Organization - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Syrian Development Organization - Wikipedia (French)fr.wikipedia.org