The fall of the Assad regime sparked hope for a new era in Syrian humanitarian aid. But despite promises of reform, old barriers persist—most notably, the restrictive “umbrella system” that stifles independent relief efforts. As Syria navigates its transition, both national leaders and international organizations face a critical choice: dismantle the broken structures of the past, or risk repeating them. In his article "A Fragile Window: Reforming Syria's Humanitarian Framework", Dr. Haid Haid lays out the positive changes as well as the continuations of the past. The current reforms of the regulatory frameworks for NGOs and international humanitarian organizations are important opportunities for humanitarian actors, donors and the UN to engage and push for an operational environment that guarantees the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality and effectiveness.