Mr. Hassan Al-Aswad, Secretary-General of the Syrian Democratic Alliance
A university graduate from the Faculty of Law in 1991, who previously worked as a lawyer for 20 years before the outbreak of the Syrian revolution and was an independent member of the Bar Association Council in Daraa. He currently holds the position of Secretary-General of the Syrian Democratic Alliance.
Main Responsibilities of the Secretary-General of the Alliance:
According to the internal regulations of the Alliance, Mr. Hassan Al-Aswad, in his capacity as Secretary-General of the Syrian Democratic Alliance, is responsible for the following:
- Overseeing the implementation of the internal regulations, code of conduct, and other operational systems, ensuring their compliance.
- Managing all membership affairs within the Alliance, including maintaining membership records and members’ personal profiles.
- Safeguarding the Alliance’s archives, including all documents, records, decisions of the General Assembly, General Secretariat, and their offices, as well as the profiles of political and civil entities, independent individuals, and all founding documents.
- Supervising the website, social media accounts, email communications, seals, and all administrative and logistical matters of the Alliance.
- Keeping a copy of the Alliance’s financial records, managing the Syrian Competency Bank, overseeing its development and preservation, and handling both internal and external correspondence.
Attorney Hassan Al-Aswad’s Organization and Management of the Alliance’s Daily Operations:
The Secretary-General is assisted by a special office whose members handle various tasks, as well as by an organizational supervisor whose duties fall under the Secretary-General’s office. The numerous and complex tasks handled by the Secretary-General require significant time and effort, but after the initial founding phase, these tasks become more streamlined.
Major Challenges Facing the General Secretariat’s Management:
The management naturally faces several challenges, including the creation of a specialized database for Alliance members and maintaining the confidentiality and protection of members’ data. During the initial founding phase, which lasted approximately four months, there were significant pressures due to the withdrawal of some members for various reasons. However, the Alliance has since stabilized organizationally, and membership applications have increased following the activation of various Alliance offices, which has helped to spread the Alliance’s name and ideology.
Developing and Implementing Strategies within the Alliance:
The Alliance’s strategy is implemented through collective work. The General Secretariat has conducted two intensive workshops for strategic planning and established a special committee to study a roadmap for a political solution. Through meetings of the Political Office, the Foreign Relations Committee, and other General Secretariat offices, ideas are discussed, developed, and then executed.
Mr. Hassan Al-Aswad’s Achievements During His Tenure:
One of the achievements that Mr. Al-Aswad takes pride in is the solidification of the Alliance’s foundations internally and its established presence in the Syrian political arena as one of the active Syrian opposition forces.
The Secretary-General’s Future Plans to Enhance the Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Syrian Democratic Alliance:
Mr. Hassan summarizes his discussion of these plans by stating that they are “formulated collectively, with my contribution based on knowledge and necessity.
Efforts are diligently underway to create a solid institutional organizational structure, in addition to expanding the Alliance to include the widest spectrum of the liberal democratic Syrian opposition.“