In Damascus, the United Nations special envoy for Syria has urged for a swift end to Western sanctions following the removal of President Bashar Assad.
The Syrian government has faced severe sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, and other nations for years due to Assad’s violent crackdown on initially peaceful anti-government demonstrations in 2011, which later escalated into a full-blown civil conflict.
This prolonged conflict has resulted in the deaths of nearly 500,000 people and forced half of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million to flee their homes. The reconstruction efforts have been significantly hindered by sanctions that were put in place to obstruct the rebuilding of infrastructure and properties in areas controlled by the government until a political resolution is reached.
“We can hopefully see a quick end to the sanctions so that we can see really a rallying around building of Syria,” U.N. envoy Geir Pedersen told reporters during a visit to Damascus.
Pedersen came to the Syrian capital to meet with officials with the new interim government set up by the former opposition forces who toppled Assad, led by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.
HTS is designated a terrorist group by the U.S., which could also complicate reconstruction efforts, but officials in Washington have indicated that the Biden administration is considering removing the designation.
The interim government is set to govern until March, but it has not yet made clear the process under which a new permanent administration would replace it.
“We need to get the political process underway that is inclusive of all Syrians,” Pedersen said. “That process obviously needs to be led by the Syrians themselves.”
He called for “justice and accountability for crimes” committed during the war and for the international community to step up humanitarian aid.
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