Ministry of Information (Syria)

The Ministry of Information (Arabic: وزارة الإعلام) is a government ministry office in Syria responsible for media, press and informations.^[1] It is part of the Council of Ministers of Syria.

Ministry of Information

وزارة الإعلام
Emblem of Syria
Logo of the Ministry of Information
Agency overview
Formed	1961
Jurisdiction	Government of Syria
Headquarters	Damascus
Minister responsible	Hamza al-Mustafa
Website	www.moi.gov.sy

Responsibility

Main goals of the Ministry:^[2]

• Strengthening the national feeling, social cooperation and spreading the spirit of solidarity among the people.

• Defending the issues of the Arab nation and its goals in terms of unity, freedom and socialism, and supporting the Arab national, national and progressive struggle in its various fields.

• Contribute to the dissemination of culture among the masses.

• Addressing social problems and advocating adherence to authentic Arab values.

• Reviving the Arab heritage in various literary, scientific and artistic fields.

• Informing the masses of the achievements of human civilization in various fields.

• Enlightening public opinion and informing it of the facts in the field of internal and external news, and informing it of the progress, trends and goals of events in the Arab world and the world.

• Introducing the Syrian Arab Republic and the Arab world globally.

• Upgrading the level of all kinds of arts.

• Encouraging talents in various fields of thought and creativity.

• Strengthening ties and relations between resident citizens and expatriate Arabs.

• Providing media and cultural services by encouraging scientific, literary, intellectual and artistic production, and encouraging production in the aforementioned fields.

Organisation

The Ministry of Information was created in the Syrian Arab Republic based on Legislative Decree No. 186 (1961) regarding the creation and updates of the Ministry of Information.^[3]

The organizational structure consists of the following departments:^[4]

Central administration

• Directorate of Minister's Office
• Assistant Minister's Office
• Department of Administrative and Legal Affairs
• Administrative Department
• Occupational Affairs Division
• Legal Department
• Personnel Affairs Department
• Leaves Division
• Promotions Division
• Legal Follow-up Department
• Department of Legal Studies and Consultations
• Department of Development Media
• Department of Planning and International Cooperation
• Department of Planning and Statistics
• Planning and Follow-up Division
• Statistics Division
• Department of International Cooperation
• Department of Qualification and Training
• Directorate of Research and Studies
• Directorate of Internal Oversight
• Directorate of Financial Affairs
• Directorate of Translation Office of Public Relations
• Department of Jahness
• Administrative Directorate of Publications and Publishing Department of Periodicals
• License Department of Publications and Books
• Licensing Department
• Department of Publishing Houses, Printing Press and Libraries
• Administrative Office
• Central Post Office
• Damascus International Airport Office
• Directorate of Administrative Development

Directorates in Governorates:

• Directorate of Information in Aleppo Governorate
• Directorate of Media in Homs Governorate
• Directorate of Information in Hama Governorate
• Directorate of Information in Latakia Governorate
• Directorate of Information in Tartous Governorate

Affiliates of the Ministry

• Public Authority for Radio and Television
  • General Organization for Television and Radio Production (ORTAS)
• Syrian Arab News Agency
• Al Wahda Foundation for Press, Printing, Publishing and Distribution (includes Al-Thawra and Tishreen)
• The Arab Advertising Foundation
• Publications Distribution Company
• Technical Institute for Printing and Publishing,
• Media Preparation Institute

Ministers

• Dr. Abdullah Abdel Dayem (1961–1962)^[5]
• Abdel Salam El Ajili (1962)
• Abdel Halim Kadour (1962–1963)
• Dr. Sami El Gendy (1963)
• Dr. Sami Al-Jundi (1963–1964)
• Dr. Abdullah Abdul Dayem (1964)
• Mashhour Zeitoun (1964–1965)
• Suleiman Al-Khash (1965)
• Shaker Mustafa (1966)
• Jamil Shia (1966)
• Mohammad Al-Zoubi (1966–1967)
• Habib Haddad (1967–1968)
• Asaad Saqr (1968–1969)
• Hamoud Al-Fabani (1969–1970)
• Naji Al-Darawsheh (1970–1971)
• Fayez Nasser (1971–1972)
• Ahmed Hassan Al-Asaad (1972–1973)
• George Sedqni (1973–1974)
• Ahmed Iskandar Ahmed (1974-1984)
• Yassine Rajouh (1984-1987)
• Muhammad Salman (1987-2000)
• Adnan Omran (2000-2003)
• Ahmad Hassan (2003-2004)
• Mahdi Dakhlallah (2004-2006)
• Muhsen Bilal (2006-2011)
• Adnan Hassan Mahmoud (2011-2012)
• Omran al-Zoubi (2012-2016)^[6]
• Mohammad Ramez Tourjman (2016-2018)^[7]
• Imad Abullah Sarah (2018-2021)^[8]
• Boutros Al-Hallaq (2021-2024)^[9]
• Ziad Ghosn (2024)^[10]
• Mohammed al-Omar (2024-2025)
• Hamza al-Mustafa (2025-present)