Latest news with #SyriaRecovery
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
First Eid Adha Prayer Performed in Post-Assad Damascus
Syria celebrated Eid al-Adha on Friday for the first time since the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, ministers, military commanders, religious officials and members of the public performed Eid prayers at the presidential palace in Damascus. In a message to the people on Eid, Sharaa stressed that Syria was recovering after 14 years of war and suffering. State news agency SANA said tens of thousands of people flocked to Damascus' squares to perform the prayer. People from across Syria were eager to perform the Eid prayer at the Umayyad Mosque for the first time since Assad's ouster. Damascus Governor Maher Marwan said the country was recovering on several levels 'thanks to the unity and patience of its people.' Sharaa later headed to the southern province of Daraa, his first since assuming his post. He was warmly welcomed by the locals, who showed up in droves to receive him. Meanwhile, the country's Supreme Fatwa Council issued a fatwa, or religious edict, banning extrajudicial acts of revenge. It stressed that justice can only be achieved through the relevant authorities. This will achieve societal security and justice. The council made the announcement after it received several complaints about individual acts of vengeance. US special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack was quick to hail the fatwa, saying: 'Great first steps for a new Syrian government marching toward a new Syria.' The council also called for speeding up judicial procedures against suspects, the adoption of effective laws and keeping figures connected to the ousted regime away from the judiciary. Achieving justice and ending oppression are among the foundations of civil peace, it declared. It warned that individual calls for vengeance are in violation of Sharia law and will only stoke chaos and strife, and threaten social unity.
Arab News
05-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
EU official says $183m Syria recovery package ‘clear message' of support
DAMASCUS: Visiting EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said on Thursday that a €175 million (nearly $183 million) package for Syria was a 'clear message' of support for its reconstruction. Suica announced the package in Damascus on Wednesday, saying it would focus on sectors including energy, education, health, and agriculture, helping rebuild Syria's economy, support its institutions, and promote human rights. 'I came here ... with a clear message that we are here to assist and help Syria on its recovery,' Suica said in an interview on Thursday. 'We want that reconstruction and recovery will be Syria-owned and Syria-led,' she said, on the first visit by an EU commissioner since a transitional government was unveiled in late March. 'We want to see Syria be a regular, normal, democratic country in the future,' she added. Syria has been navigating a delicate transition since Bashar Assad was ousted in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. The EU announced last month it would lift economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help its recovery. 'This is a pivotal moment — a new chapter in EU-Syria relations,' Suica said on X, calling her meeting with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa 'constructive.' Like Syria's neighbors, Western governments are keen to steer it onto the road to stability after the war triggered an exodus of millions of refugees. Refugee returns should be 'safe, voluntary and dignified,' Suica said. The EU has not designated Syria as a safe country for returns 'because we don't want to push people to come here and then they don't have a home,' she said. The EU last month sanctioned three Syrian groups and two of their leaders for human rights abuses over their alleged involvement in sectarian massacres in the coastal heartland of the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, in March. 'We cannot pronounce one part of Syria safe and another not,' Suica said, noting that designating Syria a safe country needs 'unanimity among 27 European member states.' She said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani would attend a ministerial meeting involving almost a dozen Mediterranean countries in Brussels on June 23. A statement released on Wednesday said that the European Commission was 'actively pursuing the integration of Syria into several key initiatives with its Mediterranean partner countries.' 'We want to see Syria united and inclusive, Suica said. 'This is a process. It will happen step by step.'
Al Bawaba
04-06-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Syria and KSA deepen economic ties with focus on investment and reconstruction
Published June 4th, 2025 - 06:59 GMT These include a joint financial package announced last Saturday by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, offering three months of salary support for Syrian public sector employees. ALBAWABA- In a new sign of warming relations, Saudi Arabia and Syria have opened formal discussions on strengthening bilateral investment and economic cooperation, marking a significant step in the region's evolving political and financial landscape. Also Read Syria signs mega project for power and progress Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih met virtually with Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade Mohammad Nidal Al-Shaar to explore joint investment opportunities and long-term economic partnerships. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the talks focused on fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors and boosting targeted investments in Syria's productive and service industries. — الخليج أونلاين (@AlkhaleejOnline) June 4, 2025 Al-Falih emphasized Riyadh's commitment to creating a supportive environment for regional investment and reiterated Saudi Arabia's interest in backing Syria's economic recovery and stability. The meeting comes amid a sweeping political shift following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime in December 2024. Since then, Syria's new government has been reintegrated into the Arab diplomatic sphere, with Saudi Arabia playing a key role in facilitating its return. Saudi support has gone beyond humanitarian assistance. In recent months, the Kingdom and Qatar have launched several strategic initiatives to support Syria's reconstruction. These include a joint financial package announced last Saturday by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, offering three months of salary support for Syrian public sector employees. In another significant development, a $7 billion memorandum of understanding was signed last week between Syria's Ministry of Energy and a regional investment consortium led by Qatar's Urbacon Holding Group and Turkish and American firms. The agreement will fund critical electricity sector projects vital to Syria's redevelopment. Additionally, in April, Saudi Arabia and Qatar cleared Syria's outstanding $15 million debt with the World Bank, underlining their commitment to rebuilding Syria's financial credibility on the global stage. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Arab News
01-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi GO Telecom signs deal to rebuild Syria's telecom sector
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's GO Telecom has signed an agreement with the Syrian government to help modernize the country's digital infrastructure, marking one of the first major private sector initiatives following the recent easing of Western sanctions. The agreement was signed by Syrian Minister of Telecommunications Abdul Salam Haykal and GO Telecom CEO Yahya bin Saleh Al-Mansour. The deal aims to revamp Syria's aging communications network, a critical step in the nation's long path toward recovery. Riyadh-based GO Telecom is expanding its presence in post-conflict markets through strategic infrastructure investments. The move follows a significant policy shift by Western powers. Just weeks ago, the US and the EU began lifting long-standing sanctions on Syria — a decision widely seen as a turning point in international engagement with the war-torn country. On May 13, President Donald Trump announced the sanctions relief during a visit to Riyadh, calling it a 'historic opportunity' for Syria's recovery. The EU quickly followed suit, adopting legal measures to ease economic restrictions while maintaining those tied to security. 'This decision is simply the right thing to do,' said EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, underscoring the bloc's support for Syria's reconstruction and political transition. The EU's move removed 24 entities, including the Central Bank of Syria, from its sanctions list. 'Today the EU reaffirms its commitment as a partner for the transition, one that helps the Syrian people to reunite and rebuild a new, inclusive, peaceful Syria,' Kallas added. Syrian officials have welcomed the easing of sanctions as a pivotal moment. Speaking to the Associated Press on May 30, Syria's Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Kabawat, said the changes would aid anti-corruption efforts and help pave the way for the return of millions of refugees. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also pledged joint financial support for Syrian state employees. A high-level Saudi economic delegation has visited Damascus to explore investments across key sectors, including energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. 'The Kingdom will provide, with Qatar, joint financial support to state employees in Syria,' said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan during a visit to Damascus on May 31. He reaffirmed Riyadh's commitment to Syria's reconstruction and emphasized the Kingdom's involvement in the sanctions relief process. Prince Faisal added that Saudi Arabia remains one of Syria's key backers as it works toward economic recovery and long-term stability. The GO Telecom agreement is seen as a signal of growing regional cooperation, as international and Gulf partners begin to re-engage in efforts to rebuild Syria's shattered economy and infrastructure after over a decade of conflict.
The National
22-05-2025
- Business
- The National
IMF ready to provide Syria with support after sanctions lifted
The International Monetary Fund on Thursday said it is ready to provide Syria with technical assistance after the US and European Union lifted sanctions on the country. IMF staff were said to be preparing to support international efforts to help Syria recover economically. "We stand ready to provide advice, and targeted and well-prioritised technical assistance in our areas of expertise," IMF communications director Julie Kozack said. The IMF has had "useful discussions" with Syrian officials and has started working to rebuild its understanding of the Syrian economy, she added. "Syria will need significant assistance to rebuild its economic institutions," Ms Kozack said. US President Donald Trump last week announced he would lift sanctions on Syria, a major step for the country as it looks to secure economic assistance after a brutal 14-year civil war. Mr Trump also met Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara as part of the US leader's trip to the Gulf. In a separate announcement this week, the EU announced it would also lift economic sanctions on Damascus. The World Bank last week said Qatar and Saudi Arabia had paid off Syria's outstanding $15.5 million debt to the institution, paving the way for it to receive support and assistance. Estimates on the cost of rebuilding Syria vary greatly, but one analysis from the Carnegie Endowment for Peace has it at $250 billion to $400 billion. Ms Kozack said sanctions relief could support Syria's efforts to address its challenges, and progress with energy construction and economic development. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week said the move was vital for supporting the new government, but also warned another civil war could potentially be only weeks away. Mr Rubio's warning came after recent attacks by pro-government militias on Syria's Alawite and Druze minorities. Syria's new government, led by Mr Al Shara, has been seeking to reset relations with western institutions following the toppling of Bashar Al Assad's regime last year. Mohammed Yisr Barnieh, the country's new central bank governor and finance minister, attended last month's spring meetings in Washington, the first time Syria had been represented in two decades. He attended a roundtable with the World Bank, IMF and Gulf leaders on the country's reconstruction needs. IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank president Ajay Banga and Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan said in a joint statement at the time that priority would be given to address the Syrian people's needs, rebuilding institutions, capacity development, policy reforms and developing an economic recovery strategy.
