Raed al-Saleh

{{Short description|Syrian humanitarian and government official}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Raed al-Saleh

| native_name = {{nobold|رائد الصالح}}

| native_name_lang = ar

| image = Raed al-Saleh.jpg

| caption = Al-Saleh in 2025

| birth_date = 1983

| birth_place = Jisr ash-Shughur, Idlib, Syria

| office = Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management

| president = Ahmed al-Sharaa

| term_start = 29 March 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = Position established

| successor =

| office2 = Director of the White Helmets

| predaccessor2 =

| successor2 = Mounir Mustafa {{small|(Acting)}}

| term_start2 = 2013

| term_end2 = 29 March 2025

| nationality = Syrian

}}

Raed al-Saleh ({{langx|ar|رائد الصالح}}) is a Syrian humanitarian leader and government official. On 29 March 2025, he was appointed as the Minister of Disaster Management and Emergency Response in the Syrian transitional government. Previously, al-Saleh was director of the White Helmets, a volunteer rescue organization operating in opposition-held areas of Syria. For this humanitarian work, he was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2017.

Career

Al-Saleh has played a key role in leading the White Helmets, overseeing search and rescue operations, medical assistance, and disaster response efforts in war-torn regions of Syria. Under his leadership, the organization has been internationally recognized for its humanitarian work, receiving multiple awards, including the Right Livelihood Award and a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.{{cite web |title=Raed Al Saleh |url=https://skoll.org/attendee/raed-al-saleh/#:~:text=Raed%20Saleh%20is%20the%20Head,businessman%20who%20sold%20electrical%20equipment. |website=Skoll Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526202913/https://skoll.org/attendee/raed-al-saleh/ |archive-date=26 May 2023 |access-date=30 March 2025 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Raed Al Saleh |url=https://www.peacetalks.net/pt/raed-al-saleh/ |website=Peace Talks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619084425/https://www.peacetalks.net/pt/raed-al-saleh/ |archive-date=19 June 2021 |access-date=3 April 2025 |url-status=live}} In 2017, he was honoured as one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People.{{cite web |title=Raed al-Saleh |url=https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/raed-al-saleh |website=The Washington Institute for Near East Policy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729215529/https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/raed-al-saleh |archive-date=29 July 2021 |access-date=3 April 2025 |url-status=live}}

On 29 March 2025, al-Saleh was appointed as the Minister for Disaster and Emergency Management in Syria, he issued a statement following the appointment announcing his resignation from the White Helmets.{{cite web |title=Statement on Raed Al-Saleh's Resignation as President and General Manager of the White Helmets and His Appointment as Minister of Environment, Emergencies, and Disaster Management in the Syrian Government |url=https://whitehelmets.org/node/2236 |website=White Helmets |date=29 March 2025 |access-date=3 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331203100/https://whitehelmets.org/node/2236 |archive-date=31 March 2025 |url-status=live}}

References