Al-Haram Money Exchange has just told me they can transfer $1,000 USD from the US to Damascus at an exchange rate of 15,600 SYP per USD.

On the other hand, if you're a Western government trying to respond through the UN to the humanitarian disaster in Syria, the Assad regime will impose a rate of 8500 SYP per USD on you.

A whopping 45% of the “aid” will subsidize Assad’s Central Bank.

More on the issue in my earlier work with Natasha Hall and Munqeth Agha here.