Syria’s External Debt: How Much, to Whom is it Owed, and Will it be Repaid?

Syria’s conflict-driven debt poses challenges for recovery, requiring careful negotiation and international support.

Is Syria’s Caretaker Government Overstepping its Mandate in Setting Economic Policy?

Syria’s Caretaker Government is enacting sweeping reforms, raising concerns about overreach and long-term instability.

The Legal Status of the Oil Contracts in Syria

Syria’s regime collapse has complicated the status of oil contracts, with disputes over rights and obligations.

The Complexities of Lifting UN Sanctions on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

Lifting UN sanctions on HTS involves technical hurdles and political challenges, with international actors imposing conditions that might complicate delisting efforts.

External Contribution: Entrepreneurship in Syria: A Path to Economic Recovery

Entrepreneurship is crucial for Syria’s recovery but faces hurdles like sanctions and lack of financing. Engaging the diaspora and easing regulations could help startups drive economic stability.

Interview: The EU’s Position Toward Syria: Step-by-Step, Not Step-for-Step

German Special Envoy outlines Germany’s shift toward engaging with Syria, focusing on easing sanctions, fostering stability, and promoting international coordination.

The Potential and Outlook for Syria’s Oil Sector

What is the potential for the oil sector, and how much oil can the Caretaker Government in Damascus produce? What challenges does the sector face?

Obstacles and Opportunities for Syria’s Electricity Sector

What are the bottlenecks to the recovery of Syria’s electricity sector? The relative roles of fuels, production capacity, and sanctions, and how external actors can help.

Sanctions in Transition: Proposing a Path Forward

With sanctions being the main leverage for the West on the emerging government in Damascus and the main impediment to recovery, easing them should be a delicate balancing act.

Russian Investments: The State of Play After Bashar al-Assad

Assad’s fall jeopardizes Russian economic ventures in Syria, particularly those linked to Kremlin oligarchs, but the Caretaker Government has made positive statements so far.

External Contribution: The Captagon Trade After the Downfall of Assad

While Assad's fall ended state-backed captagon production, the rise of small trafficking networks and the specter of a shift to crystal meth are complicating efforts by Syria's new government to curb the trade.

Caroline Rose, New Lines Institute.

Editorial Note: Unprecedented Uncertainty