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Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

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UK in Turkey

29th April 2017 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

The international community must stand united to condemn the use of chemical weapons

Every year the global community pauses on 29 April to remember victims of chemical warfare. The UN promotes international awareness and action against these horrific weapons that strike insidiously and indiscriminately, causing agonising death and injury to people who have no way to protect themselves. This year will be all the more poignant as the […]

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27th October 2016 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

To the children inside Syria

In August, the former British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher wrote an open letter to the children of Syria apologising for the international community’s failure to fully fund education for Syrian refugees. The letter was also a call to action to ensure donors who made pledges at the Syria London Conference in February honoured their […]

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27th October 2016 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

To the children inside Syria

In August, the former British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher wrote an open letter to the children of Syria apologising for the international community’s failure to fully fund education for Syrian refugees. The letter was also a call to action to ensure donors who made pledges at the Syria London Conference in February honoured their […]

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15th March 2016 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

ليتحقق السلام في سورية، لا بد من إنهاء الاعتقالات التعسفية

في سورية، يستمر طغيان العنف المستشري والممنهج بعيدا عن الأنظار، في مراكز اعتقال بعيدة عن الخطوط الأمامية للحرب. وفي وقت سابق هذا الشهر، أصدرت لجنة التحقيق الدولية بشأن سورية تقريرا حول الموت أثناء الاعتقال. وجاء ذلك بعد تقارير مروعة بنفس القدر صادرة عن منظمة العفو الدولية ومنظمة هيومان رايتس ووتش حول الاختفاءات القسرية والموت في […]

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23rd February 2016 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

Supporting Syria – with the help of Chevening Alumni

At the start of last month, 16 Chevening Alumni from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey convened in the British Consulate in Istanbul for the Chevening Alumni Regional Conference 2016. The subject of this year’s conference was “Syria and its impact on the region: 5 years into the conflict”, covering important themes such as humanitarian access, […]

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19th October 2015 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

Yes, Moscow, there is a Syrian Moderate Opposition

‘Spin Doctor’ is a phrase that emerged in the English language. Judging by Russian information operations over its actions in Syria, it should have been Russian. Russia says it is hitting at Da’esh. But its actions speak louder than its words. It has in fact primarily targeted opposition fighters opposed to the Assad regime. 85% […]

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16th September 2015 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

A Better Future For Syria: Chevening 2015

You may well have heard of the Chevening Scholarships Programme. Every year, the British government awards them to people we judge to be outstanding established or emerging leaders, to continue their further education. Competition for scholarships is fierce, so fierce I very much doubt I would have got one were I to have applied back in the […]

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25th August 2015 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

2 Years Since Ghouta, Memories of Horror Live On

Last Friday marked two years since the Assad regime attacked Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus in Syria, with chemical weapons. This despicable act killed hundreds of innocent civilians and injured many hundreds more. Since then Assad’s declared chemical weapons stockpile and production facilities have been destroyed. But the UK remains very concerned about credible allegations […]

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25th August 2015 Istanbul, Turkey

Mahmoud

Ghouta Survivor

لا تتسع البرادات لهم جميعاً

الغوطة الشرقية – دمشق – سورية بعد منتصف  ليلة الأربعاء 21 / 08 / 2013 فقط ما يُقارب 10 آلاف مُصاب، تشنج العضلات يملأُ المكان، الكلُّ ينتفضون، يتساقط الناس كأوراق الشجر، هناك نيامٌ لم يستيقظوا .. ماتوا هادئين، وبعضهم استيقظوا ولم يستطيعوا الخروج .. ماتوا مُحاولين، أمٌ كان لابد أن تختار اثنين من خمسة أبناء، […]

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19th August 2015 Istanbul, Turkey

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by Gareth Bayley

UK Special Representative for Syria

The UK Effort to #ShareHumanity With Syria

Today, 19 August, is World Humanitarian Day. It’s invidious to choose among the most pressing humanitarian crises around the world. But there’s one very close to my heart: Syria. I work with my team across three countries – Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan – to help resolve the Syria crisis. So far, the Syria crisis has […]

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