A National Institute of Administration opened in Damascus

The National Institute of Administration was opened in Damascus on Wednesday. The President was represented, at the opening ceremony, by Higher Education Minister Hani Murtada.

Present at the opening ceremony were French Ambassador in Damascus Jean- Francois Girault, Director of ( Ecole Nationale d'Administration ) in France, The EU Commission Envoy in Damascus and several senior officials and ministers.

Murtada delivered a speech in which he stressed that President Bashar al-Assad gave the priority to the development and progress of the country adding that the establishment of the institute will be an effective factor in developing the administrative work, rehabilitating a high-level cadres in the field of the general administration and in modernizing the administration of the ministries and general institutions.

While noting that "Our aspiration to achieve a secure life, progress, and prosperity is hindered by the dominance of the unilateral power which ignores the rights of peoples," Murtada said urged that " so we should all act together for a better life where justice and mutual respect prevail."

He expressed sincere thanks and respects to France over what it offered for this pivotal project hoping for more cooperation between Syria and France.

The dean of the national institute, Muhammad Khaled al-Mahayni, for his part said that the opening of this institute comes as an embodiment to the directives of President al-Assad in light of modernizing and developing the general administration, and as a support to the administrative reform process Syria witnesses.

Later, the French Ambassador stressed that the establishment of this institute is one of the aspects of cooperation between Syria and France which was strengthened during the visit of President al-Assad to France in 2001.

"This project is one of the most important achievements of the reform process launched by President al-Assad in Syria, and France is very proud of being a partner in this field," the Ambassador continued.

He stressed that France will persist in supporting this policy and will make mutual expertise visits between Syria and France.

The new institute aims at preparing, rehabilitating and training post - university graduates personnel in the field of general administration sciences in order to serve, modernize, and develop the administration in the public institutions and ministries.