Syria’s hopes for lifting sanctions and opening new economic horizons

Visits continue from Western officials to the Syrian capital, Damascus, as part of talks with the new administration that took power after the fall of the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. These visits aim to evaluate the directions of the new government and determine the course of the transitional phase during which the Syrians seek to establish a democratic system elected by the people.

In the first visit of a European minister to Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, met with the Commander-in-Chief of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, on Friday, January 3, 2025, as representatives of the European Union.

This visit seeks to deliver a message of cautious optimism about recognition of the new administration, while hopes are growing in Syrian economic and political circles regarding the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on the Syrian government and symbols of the former regime. These sanctions constituted a major obstacle to the recovery of the Syrian economy.

Syrian officials hope that these visits will open the door to a rapid lifting of sanctions, paving the way for an improvement in the economic situation and stabilization of the situation during the next stage. As the talks progress, it is expected that a road map will be drawn up that may lead to improved relations between Syria and the West or there may be new steps that slow this progress.