Damascus (TDI): Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani endorsed the US decision to lift long-standing sanctions on Syria and referred to it as a historic milestone for the country’s recovery.Â
“The gates to long-awaited reconstruction and development are now open,” Al-Shaibani said in a statement. “This move will eliminate the obstacle to economic recovery and open the country to the world,” he said.
His comments came immediately after Donald Trump signed an executive order, formally lifting a broad array of sanctions that had stalled Syria’s economic and diplomatic engagement for over a decade.
Sanctions were first introduced in 2011, during the early years of the Syrian civil war as a response to the Assad government’s alleged human rights violations. Over time, these financial measures severely weakened Syria’s economy, driving inflation, limiting imports of basic goods, and deterring international investment
The executive order, as described by the United States Treasury Department, bestows sanctions relief to “entities vital to Syria’s development, the functioning of its government, and the reconstruction of its social fabric.”Â
Read More:Â Trump Lifts US Sanctions on Syria
This is over six months since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted from office and is seen as a key step towards stabilizing post-war Syria. In his address, President Trump reaffirmed America’s strategic stake in a stable Middle East.
He declared, “The United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, united, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.”
Although sanctions related to terror and the Caesar Act remain in the balance, over 500 individuals and entities have already been delisted.
The new Syrian government sees this as the beginning of a new chapter; of reconstruction, investment, and reintegration into the world community.
Authorities expect renewed international assistance and infrastructure development to come next, a stark reversal of Syria–US relations and the regional order generally.
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