Jihad Makdissi

Education

Makdissi graduated from First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Nour high school in Damascus and studied in Paris at the Ecole nationale d'administration.

Career

He received his Master"s degree in Diplomacy and International Relations in 2009 from the University of Westminster and his doctorate from the unaccredited American University of London in Media Studies in 2011. Prior to becoming official spokesman, he had worked for five years in Syria"s London embassy. On 2 December 2012 it was rumoured that he had been sacked from his position and left for the United Kingdom.

Subsequently, additional rumours circulated stating that Makdissi had not been sacked but had instead defected.

First Rate (at Lloyd's) Arabiya News reported that a Syrian government spokesman had stated that he was on three months agreed leave while Hezbollah stated that he had been dismissed for "improvising statements" and First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Manar television reported that he was fired for straying from the official positions of the Syrian Government. In late December 2012, it was reported that Makdissi had fled to the United States. and he has launched his own private Consultancy Firm

Makdissi issued a press release mid-February 2013 in which he stated that he had resigned because of Syria"s "violence and polarization that left no place for moderation and diplomacy" and apologized to Syrian families if they had thought that he had not understood their suffering while in his diplomatic position. he said that The Syrian Regime never considered giving any real political concession to absorb the growing uprising in the street and the last serious initiative that was presented by the regime is the SAHARA conference in 2012.

Achievements

• Makdissi gave an lengthy interview to the New York Times in January 2014 in which he talked about his political position as a Syrian Christian and independent politician, and he mentioned that a diplomat should serve his country and is not a lawyer who can accept any case, when things headed towards an armed conflict with no more room for politics, he refused to be a lawyer for one side and the diplomat inside of him won over. He stressed that there is no military solution in Syria and the only allowed way is the negotiated Settlement and an understanding among international powers is a must to achieve transition especially Russia and the United States of America.

Politics

He also made it clear that he is an independent politician who believes and works for peaceful political solution in Syria and he is a strong supporter of the Geneva platform and Process. Makdissi gave another lengthy interview ( 9th of February 2016 ) for a Syrian o famous opposition news site ( The New Syrian ) where he talked for the very first time about his resignation and his political affiliation as independent member of the Cairo Conference for the Syrian Opposition and how he has been working for political transition in Syria based on the Geneva Process, Vienna Document and UNSCR 2254.

Membership

He is a member of Syria"s (Catholic) Christian minority and one of the few members of Assad"s government fluent in English and French.