Egypt Daily News – The European Union announced on Tuesday the lifting of economic sanctions on Syria following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, in a move aimed at supporting the country’s recovery after a devastating conflict that claimed the lives of more than half a million people.
This step followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to lift American sanctions. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani described the decision as reflecting a “regional and international will” to support Syria. A Higher Coordinating Council between Syria and Jordan was also announced to enhance bilateral cooperation.
The EU’s decision to lift all economic sanctions on Syria aims to support the country’s recovery after years of war, according to diplomats in Brussels, following the ousting of the former president on December 8.
Al-Shibani said the move demonstrates a “regional and international will” to back Syria. Previously, President Trump had announced in Riyadh the lifting of U.S. sanctions, a move transitional President Ahmad Al-Shara described as a “historic and courageous decision that relieved the suffering of the people, supported their revival, and laid the foundations for regional stability.”
EU lifts sanctions to support Syria’s recovery
EU diplomats explained that the agreement will end the isolation of Syrian banks from the global financial system and lift the freeze on the Syrian Central Bank’s assets. However, new individual sanctions were imposed on officials involved in stoking ethnic tensions.
This comes especially in the wake of attacks targeting the Alawite minority that resulted in fatalities. Some other measures targeting the Assad regime remain in place, such as the ban on the sale of weapons or equipment that could be used to suppress civilians.
This decision builds on an earlier step taken in February when some sanctions on key Syrian economic sectors were suspended. However, European officials emphasized that the measures could be reinstated if Syria’s new leadership fails to uphold promises to respect minority rights and move toward democracy.
Context of the sanctions and demands of the new leadership
Following the outbreak of conflict in Syria in 2011 which claimed over half a million lives, European and Western countries gradually imposed crippling economic sanctions on Syria and key figures in the Assad regime in response to the violent suppression of peaceful protests, which later escalated into a destructive war that drained the country’s economy and destroyed infrastructure.
The new Syrian leadership has been calling for the easing of these stringent international sanctions. At a press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Damascus, Al-Shibani stated: “Lifting the sanctions reflects a regional and international will to support Syria,” stressing that “the Syrian people now have a historic and very important opportunity to rebuild their country.”
He added: “The plan now is to take advantage of the lifting of sanctions. For those who want to invest in Syria, the doors are open, and for those who want to cooperate with Syria, there are no sanctions.”
Syrian-Jordanian cooperation to strengthen bilateral relations
On Tuesday, Syria and Jordan announced the formation of a Higher Coordinating Council between the two countries and the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will serve as a roadmap for bilateral cooperation. The two nations share borders, economic interests, and security challenges, particularly border control and drug smuggling.
Safadi said: “We agreed on a roadmap to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, water, industry, trade, and transportation, and we agreed to cooperate in the health sector as well.”
He added: “Our goal is to work together during this transitional phase and lay the foundation for integrated relations that serve the interests of both brotherly nations and also benefit the region.” Safadi congratulated his Syrian counterpart on the lifting of sanctions, describing them as “a major obstacle to achieving economic development.”
He said the lifting of sanctions would “provide the Syrian government with the capabilities it needs to serve its people and allow the private sector in all countries to contribute to that goal.”
Jordan, which hosts 1.3 million Syrian refugees, is considered Syria’s gateway to the Gulf, while Syria is Jordan’s gateway to Europe. Al-Shibani said: “We believe today marks a historic moment in the history of both countries and a very significant point in the future of bilateral relations,” noting that the council will hold regular meetings going forward.
