Syria Enters Reconstruction Phase After US Lifts Sanctions

Key facts

• Syria has entered a new phase of reconstruction and development after the US lifted sanctions.
• The US Treasury Department removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
• President Ahmad al-Sharaa described the lifting of sanctions as removing obstacles and beginning a 'long and sustainable road'.
• The 63rd Damascus International Fair opened, symbolizing Syria's economic revival.
• The US decision aims to remove obstacles to private sector investment in Syria.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced that Syria is embarking on a new era of reconstruction and development following the United States' decision to lift sanctions and remove the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Speaking at the opening of the 63rd Damascus International Fair, al-Sharaa described the move as the removal of obstacles and the beginning of a 'long and sustainable road' toward dignity, revival, and progress.

Al-Sharaa expressed optimism that Syria will once again become a beacon for its economy, a bridge between markets, and a center where Eastern and Western interests converge. He thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and allied nations for their support in achieving this milestone. The fair, themed 'Syria Rises Again,' features approximately 1,000 entities from nearly 60 countries, signaling a renewed international engagement with the Syrian economy.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) formally removed Syria from the state sponsors of terrorism list, fulfilling a commitment to ease restrictions. This designation, initially made in 1979, had imposed significant obstacles to private sector investment. The State Department, through Secretary Marco Rubio, confirmed the removal after congressional review, citing Syria's sustained efforts and commitment to distancing itself from international terrorism. The decision also involved removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from terrorism-related lists.