Month: August 2025

Russia and Syria have pledged to deepen bilateral relations and review key agreements signed under former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, during the first official visit by a member of Syria’s new government since Assad’s ouster last year. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Thursday, marking a significant diplomatic moment between the two countries. The meeting comes amid uncertainty over the future of strategic military and economic agreements signed during the Assad era. Assad was deposed in a swift rebel offensive in 2024, despite Moscow’s longstanding support throughout Syria’s civil war. He is believed to have fled to Russia following his removal. During the talks, al-Shaibani sought continued Russian support for Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction and political transition. Lavrov expressed Moscow’s willingness to assist in rebuilding Syria and said existing agreements and contracts would be reassessed to reflect current realities. “We are ready to help Syria recover after more than a decade of conflict,” Lavrov said. “It is important to review agreements and contracts concluded under different conditions.” Al-Shaibani echoed the sentiment, noting that a review was necessary to determine whether past deals were “serving the needs of the Syrian people.” Russia’s key military assets in Syria—including its naval base in Tartus and the Hmeimim air base—remain in focus, although neither minister confirmed whether the long-term leases, which extend to 2066, were under discussion. The bases were central to Moscow’s 2015 military intervention in Syria, which bolstered Assad’s forces through extensive airstrikes on rebel-held areas. “Syria needs friends and partners on its path to stability and development,” al-Shaibani told reporters after the meeting, signaling a desire for a continued alliance with Moscow under new terms.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Jigawa State has raised concerns over the departure of more than 30 specialist doctors from the state within the past four months, attributing the development to poor working conditions and uncompetitive salaries. Speaking at a press conference in Dutse, NMA Chairman, Dr. Usman Haruna, warned that the mass exodus is putting the state’s already strained healthcare system at serious risk. “We are facing a crisis. Jigawa now has just one doctor for every 30,000 people—far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of one doctor per 600 people,” he said. Dr. Haruna revealed that most of the doctors left for federal hospitals and neighbouring states offering better remuneration and improved working environments. He blamed the situation on the failure to implement a salary review approved earlier this year by Governor Umar Namadi. In February, the governor had directed the state’s minimum wage committee to engage with doctors and submit a cost analysis for aligning their pay with the federal CONMESS structure, which includes hazard and call-duty allowances. However, the committee has reportedly not acted on the directive, despite a two-week timeline set for the assignment. “This silence appears deliberate and is undermining the governor’s efforts to reform the health sector,” Haruna said, describing the delay as “a form of sabotage” that threatens to reverse the administration’s gains. While acknowledging Governor Namadi’s broader investments in healthcare and wage reforms, the NMA urged the government to take urgent steps to address doctors’ grievances and stem the ongoing brain drain. Haruna warned that continued neglect could lead to a total collapse of access to quality healthcare for the people of Jigawa.