What sanctions the new Syrian leadership demand to be lifted?
During his meetings with a number of foreign delegations, Ahmad al Sharaa, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian administration, called for the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Syria, and stressed the need to remove the terrorist designation from Hay’at Tahrir al Sham.
Sharaa explained that these sanctions were directed against the regime that is no longer in power, and that lifting them is necessary to facilitate the return of refugees and the reconstruction of Syria.
During his recent visit to Damascus, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for an end to the sanctions imposed on the country.
Pedersen also expressed optimism that state institutions would begin to function fully, stressing the importance of providing security for those institutions.
On December 8, after 11 days of fighting, the opposition led by Hay’at Tahrir al Sham announced its control over Damascus.
Since then, the new Syrian administration has been trying to convince the international community of the need to lift sanctions to encourage foreign investment and enable reconstruction efforts.
The Western sanctions on Syria, mainly imposed by the United States, the European Union and other countries since 2011 include a range of economic and political measures.
Their aim was to pressure the Syrian regime to stop violence against civilians and achieve a political transition in the country.
The most prominent sanctions include:
Asset freeze: Freezing the assets of the Syrian government and officials outside the country.
Ban on financial transactions: Ban on dealing with the Central Bank and Syrian financial institutions.
Investment restrictions: Ban on investment in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.
Export ban: Ban on the export of technology and equipment that could be used for military purposes.
Oil import ban: Ban on the sale of oil equipment.
Travel and flight restrictions: Ban on Syrian aircraft from flying in Western airspace or landing at its airports.
These sanctions have severely restricted the Syrian economy, causing vital sectors such as oil, agriculture, and industry to decline.
They have also affected civilians by exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and sharply increasing prices.
Although the sanctions succeeded in reducing the resources of the former regime, the government at the time resorted to searching for new resources and channels, which led to the continuation of the economic crisis.
