Syrians hopeful for the future after US and EU sanctions relief

Published on 24/05/2025 - 18:43 GMT+2

Syrians connected nan streets of Damascus connected Saturday welcomed nan move by nan Trump management to easiness sanctions imposed connected nan war-torn country.

Their ceremony follows nan general easing of sanctions by nan EU earlier this week and that of nan US announced past week during US President Donald Trump's Middle East tour.

“Yesterday, erstwhile I publication nan news that nan Caesar sanctions are really being lifted, particularly aft nan reports we heard successful caller weeks, I honestly cried," a resident, Zeina Shahla, told section media.

"We’re yet seeing existent steps toward nan country’s recovery,” she added.

The sanctions alleviation follows nan autumn of nan Assad authorities successful December 2024. On Tuesday, nan EU said it adopted a gradual and reversible attack successful bid to support Syria’s modulation and economical recovery, which followed nan suspension of immoderate economical sanctions successful February.

For nan US, nan legislature sanctions, known arsenic nan Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, aimed to isolate Syria’s erstwhile rulers by efficaciously expelling those doing business pinch them from nan world financial system.

However, a Treasury Department action has now suspended enforcement of sanctions against anyone doing business pinch a scope of Syrian individuals and entities, including Syria’s cardinal bank.

And a measurement by nan State Department waived for six months a reliable group of sanctions imposed by Congress successful 2019.

They specifically artifact post-war reconstruction, truthful while they tin beryllium waived for 180 days by executive order, investors are apt to beryllium wary of reconstruction projects erstwhile sanctions could beryllium reinstated aft six months.

US President Donald Trump granted Syria sweeping exemptions from sanctions successful a awesome first measurement toward fulfilling his promise to assistance a half-century of penalties connected a state shattered by 14 years of civilian war.

Syria's overseas ministry said Saturday that nan state “extends its hand” to anyone that wants to cooperate pinch Damascus, connected nan information that location is nary involution successful nan country’s soul affairs.

On Friday, nan Trump management said nan actions were “just 1 portion of a broader US authorities effort to region nan afloat architecture of sanctions.”

Those penalties had been imposed connected nan Assad family for their support of Iranian-backed militias, their chemic weapons programme and maltreatment of civilians.

Damascus resident Nael Kaddah said now that nan sanctions are being eased, nan state will flourish again.

For Kaddah, Syrians will beryllium capable to transportation money freely, dissimilar successful nan past erstwhile location were respective companies that monopolized nan business and took ample commissions connected transfers.

“Now immoderate national tin person a transportation from anyplace successful nan world,” he said.

The EU and nan US opportunity nan removal of sanctions intends to springiness nan interim Syrian authorities a amended chance of survival, a cardinal determination that nan management successful Damascus has welcomed.