A major question for observers and students of the Middle East relates to the future of Syria. Until now, the situation in the country can best be described as statis, with no realistic solutions being offered by any of the parties to the conflict. Furthermore, tensions between the various outside actors are preventing a convergence of interests from being established. Whether it is Turkey, the US, Russia or Iran, these parties have yet to agree on a framework for ending the war. Therefore, domestic actors, such as President Assad, the Kurds, and the various opposition groups, are unable, or perhaps are being prevented, from agreeing on an arrangement for ending the war. This talk will offer a historical overview of the conflict and discuss its likely outcome over both the short and medium term.

Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is co-founder and President of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building (RCCP), a Lebanese NGO focused on Track II diplomacy. She is also an affiliated scholar at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and a member of the steering committee for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). In addition, she is an advocacy consultant for ESCWA’s program for the National Agenda for the Future of Syria (NAFS). Dr. Koleilat Khatib also specializes in US-Arab relations and has a special interest in Syria. She is the editor of The Syrian Crisis: Effects on Regional and International Relations (2020) and The Arab Gulf States and the West: Perceptions and Realities - Opportunities and Perils (2019). Earlier, she authored The Arab Lobby: Factors for Success and Failure (2016). She is a weekly columnist in Arab News and has been interviewed on various Middle Eastern television news programs. Dr. Koleilat Khatib received her PhD in Politics from the University of Exeter and her MBA and BA from the AUB.