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United States President Donald Trump said Monday he is considering offering sanctions relief to Syria as the country works to rebuild after over a decade of brutal civil war.
"We are going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start," Trump told journalists at the White House before departing for a trip to the Middle East.
Trump also confirmed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had asked him to lift U.S. sanctions on Damascus, adding that Washington is coordinating with the Turkish leader on Syria.
Syrian authorities, who ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad in December, are focused on rebuilding the country's infrastructure and economy after nearly 14 years of devastating conflict. The new government has been advocating for the removal of Assad-era sanctions to jumpstart the economy and support reconstruction.
Syria’s foreign ministry welcomed Trump’s comments, describing them as "an encouraging step towards ending the suffering of the Syrian people." The ministry stated that the sanctions "directly target the Syrian people and hinder the recovery and reconstruction process."
Syrians, it said, “look forward to the full lifting of sanctions as part of steps that support peace and prosperity in Syria and the region, and open the possibility for constructive international cooperation.”"
However, some nations have indicated they will wait to assess how the new Syrian authorities exercise their power and ensure respect for human rights before deciding whether to lift sanctions. These countries have instead opted for targeted and temporary exemptions.
A February report from the United Nations Development Programme estimated that, at current growth rates, Syria would need over 50 years to return to its pre-war economic levels. The report also called for massive international investment to expedite the recovery process.
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