Ilham Ahmed: Peace Requires a Change in Mentality and Political Systems
At MEPS, Ilham Ahmed called for a new decentralized Syrian constitution recognizing all rights. Her message was echoed by SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, who highlighted the March 10 agreement with Damascus as a key step toward that goal.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The primary causes of Syria’s protracted conflict are the Kurdish issue, a centralized system of governance, and the neglect of the rights of its various components, Ilham Ahmed, the co-chair of the Autonomous Administration's foreign relations, stated on Wednesday at the MEPS 2025 forum.
Speaking on the second day of the sixth annual Middle East Peace and Security Forum in Duhok, Ahmed argued that the fundamental problems in Syria and the wider Middle East stem from a centralized ruling mentality that refuses to recognize the rights of different peoples.
She emphasized that the unresolved issues of the Kurds and other Syrian components, including the issue of women's rights, are fundamental problems that have led to the continuation of war and conflict. "A monochromatic and monolingual system of administration, founded on the basis of rejecting the other, cannot bring peace and stability," she said.
Ahmed asserted that resolving the Syrian crisis requires a fundamental change in the ruling mentality. "A new democratic constitution must be drafted that recognizes the rights of all national, religious, and cultural components," she declared. "Also, the system of administration must be changed from a centralized one to a decentralized system that guarantees the participation of all parties."
Describing the role of women in the peace process as crucial, she stated, "True and lasting peace cannot be achieved without the active participation of women in all decision-making centers."
In her concluding remarks, Ahmed called on all parties to intensify their efforts for dialogue and understanding, stressing that education and media can play a key role in spreading a culture of peace and coexistence.
Ahmed's call for a new political framework was part of a coordinated message from the delegation from the Democratic Autonomous Administration for North and East Syria (DAANES), which held high-level meetings at the forum. On Wednesday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received a delegation that included both Ilham Ahmed and the General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi.
In a separate speech, Commander Abdi reinforced Ahmed’s message, emphasizing that dialogue is the only path forward. "We have spent a long time in war. We know—and we have seen—that every war ends in dialogue. Even if you win on the battlefield, you eventually must negotiate," he said.
Abdi highlighted the importance of the March 10 agreement signed this year between the SDF and the Syrian government, represented by President Ahmed Shar’a. He said the agreement prevented further fighting and the fragmentation of Syria. Crucially, he noted, for the first time in a century, the Kurdish issue was explicitly acknowledged in a formal political framework. "In Syria’s last 100 years, Kurds’ rights were never recognized—our issue wasn’t even mentioned. But the March 10 agreement clearly addressed it," he said.
Echoing Ahmed's call for systemic change, Abdi declared that Syria cannot return to the centralized Ba'ath-era system. "Syria must become decentralized, with each region administering itself. This is the new reality, and no one can deny it," he stated firmly. "Everyone must accept this reality and move forward within this framework."
The MEPS forum, held annually at the American University of Kurdistan, has become a premier platform for addressing the region's most pressing political and security challenges, serving as a critical venue for high-level dialogue on the future of Syria, Iraq, and the wider Middle East.
