After Assad: Navigating Syria's Humanitarian Crossroads

Produced in partnership between HAG, GLOW, NSDation, and KAE Consulting, and commissioned by the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH), this research examines Syria's humanitarian landscape following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Based on interviews with humanitarian actors at all levels of the Syria response, it identifies six key shifts shaping the operating environment in the early months of the transition, including changing access dynamics, the restructuring of humanitarian coordination architecture, dwindling funding amid record-high needs, and the transition from emergency relief to recovery and stabilisation.

The report explores the implications of these shifts for local and international organisations and sets out five priority actions for humanitarian actors to navigate the evolving situation, including supporting unimpeded needs-based access, a Syrian-led response and recovery, inclusive coordination, ethical data-driven programming, and long-term strategies for sustainable recovery.