German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has backtracked on comments made during a recent visit to Syria suggesting levels of destruction would discourage refugee return.

Adopting a harsher line on returns, Mr Wadephul said there was “no longer any reason” that about one million Syrians who sought refuge in Germany after the start of a civil war in 2011 should not return home.

“For those who refuse to return to their country, we can of course expel them,” he said after more dovish comments provoked controversy in Germany, where conservative politicians want Syrians to leave.

During his first visit to Syria last week, Mr Wadephul travelled to Harasta, a destroyed suburb north of Damascus. According to news website InfoMigrants, he compared the scenes of destruction that he witnessed following the Second World War. He said it was “barely possible for people to live here with dignity”.

Mr Wadephul also discussed the possible return of Syrian refugees with President Ahmad Al Shara. Mr Wadephul said it was “in the understandable interest of the Syrian government to create the conditions for as many Syrians as possible to return”.

However, this was currently “only possible to a very limited extent, because a great deal of infrastructure in this country has been destroyed”, he added. “Anyone who wants to return to Syria will be given a tearful send-off by us. But we will understand that perfectly well.”

His comments were criticised by Gunter Krings, the deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Parliament – the same political group to which Mr Wadephul belongs.

Now that the civil war is over, Syrians should return home, Mr Krings told German newspaper Bild. “After all, who is supposed to rebuild a destroyed country if not its own citizens?” he said.

Former president Bashar Al Assad was toppled last year by rebel groups that have relaunched diplomatic ties with the west and succeeded in removing international sanctions on Syria. But so far, less than 2,000 Syrians in Germany have decided to accept a voluntary return programme offered by the German government.

Many say they have little to return to after 14 years of civil war destroyed half of the country’s infrastructure, according to the UN. Nine out of 10 Syrians live in poverty.

Initial hopes caused by the change in regime were dampened earlier this year after mass killings against religious minorities, often at the hands of groups affiliated with politicians in power.

But the presence of Syrians in Germany has become more controversial in recent years after highly publicised security incidents involving Syrians.

German police on Saturday arrested a man who was planning a terror attack inspired by the so-called Islamic State. In September, a Syrian man was sentenced to life in prison for stabbing three people and injuring 10 others.

German government officials downplayed the controversy caused by Mr Wadephul’s comments. “The German government is working on the rapid stabilisation of Syria. Only in this way can the conditions for the return of war refugees be created,” government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told Bild. That is also why Mr Wadephul has invited Mr Al Shara, whom he met in Damascus, to visit Berlin, on behalf of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Mr Kornelius said.

Company Profile

Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

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Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

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French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
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Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
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Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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