Newsletters
The European Union pledged €175 million ($199.79 million) in assistance to Syria on Wednesday, marking a significant step in renewed diplomatic engagement as the war-torn country navigates its transition following the ouster of longtime President Bashar al-Assad.
EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica announced the aid package during a visit to Damascus, describing it as a "clear message" of European support for Syria's reconstruction efforts. The funding will target critical sectors including energy, education, health and agriculture as Syria works to rebuild its economy and institutions after nearly 14 years of civil war.
"I came here ... with a clear message that we are here to assist and help Syria on its recovery," Suica said in an interview Thursday. "We want that reconstruction and recovery will be Syria-owned and Syria-led."
Suica's trip represents the first visit by an EU commissioner since Syria's transitional government was established in late March, following the December overthrow of Assad by Islamist-led forces.
The aid announcement comes after the European Union lifted economic sanctions on Syria last month, signaling a major shift in the bloc's approach toward the country as it seeks to promote stability in the region.
"We want to see Syria to be a regular, normal, democratic country in the future," Suica said, calling her meeting with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa "constructive."
Western governments and Syria's neighbors, including Türkiye, have expressed keen interest in steering the country toward stability, particularly given the refugee crisis that displaced millions during the prolonged conflict.
"This is a pivotal moment—a new chapter in EU-Syria relations," Suica wrote on the social media platform X.
However, the EU has stopped short of designating Syria as safe for refugee returns. The commissioner emphasized that refugee returns should be "safe, voluntary and dignified," explaining that the EU has not declared Syria safe "because we don't want to push people to come here and then they don't have a home."
Any designation of Syria as a safe country would require "unanimity among 27 European member states," Suica noted, adding that "we cannot pronounce one part of Syria safe and another not."
14 min read
