US abolishes Syria sanctions

The US Congress permanently terminated the sanctions placed on Syria under Bashar al-Assad’s leadership on December 17th, allowing for the return of investment to assist current President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s rebuilding of the nation, according to a report by Asharq Al-Awsat via AFP.

The new administration has consistently pursued a permanent end to the sanctions, in fear of the sanctions deterring investors from the US, said AFP.

US President Donald Trump had already twice suspended the placement of sanctions on Syria in response to calls for their removal from Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The Senate voted 77 to 20 in favour of the revoking of the 2019 Caesar Act, which was already cleared by the House of Representatives and will likely be signed by Trump.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen said the repeal “is a decisive step toward giving the Syrian people a real chance to rebuild after decades of unimaginable suffering.”

In response to the announcement, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said: “We express our gratitude and appreciation to the US Senate for its support of the Syrian people and its vote to repeal the Caesar Act.”

He also declared the decision “a positive development that opens new horizons for cooperation and partnership between our country and the world.”

The 2019 Caesar Act, implemented after photos displayed atrocities in Assad’s prisons, placed significant constraints on investment into Syria and excluded the country from the international banking system.

The bill was expanded in 2024, as the Assad-regime Anti-Normalization Act 2023 prohibited the US government from engaging in relations with the Assad regime.

Under the previous Syrian regime, the US government aimed to deter foreign investment to inhibit development in the country, as it appeared Assad was solidifying power after over a decade of civil war. However, al-Sharaa’s militants captured Damascus following a rapid offensive in 2024.

Since he took power the country’s economy has grown faster than expected, with many refugees returning, reinvigorating growth and development.

Asharq Al-Awsat via AFP, Maghrebi.org