Covid-19 and Alternative Governance Systems of in Idlib, Syria

As Covid-19 hit Syria after a decade of protracted conflict, the fragmentation of the territory and governance system prevented the adoption of a national strategy to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. In Idlib governorate, Covid-19 highlighted the inability of the Syrian Salvation government to offer effective alternatives to the Syrian regime. While it failed to provide healthcare and social services and to corner the international aid market, international aid routes were blocked by al-Assad’s regime in an attempt to squeeze the opposition further. In this context, local civil society in northwest Syria emerged as another non-state agent of governance – with a focus on providing healthcare and social services – in Idlib. Based on 73 in-depth interviews conducted between June 2020 and April 2021 across Idlib governorate, this article exposes and interrogates the tensions in the political and humanitarian space between restrictions – in the case of the international community and opposition government – and transformation – namely that of local civil society.