From Resurgence to Retrenchment: The Evolution of ISIS After Assad’s Fall
ISIS’s tempo collapsed after December, then quietly adapted in the northeast. This article dives into the data: where attacks shifted, why plots failed, and what a unified counter-strategy requires.
External Contribution: Diana Rayes, Program Director for the Faith and Global Health Initiative at Georgetown University’s Global Health Institute
The State of Public Health in Syria
An examination of Syria’s post-war health recovery—rebuilding a fractured system, closing the financing gap, and restoring public trust.
Interview: Safwat Raslan, Director General of Syrian Development Fund
Mr. Raslan presents the Fund’s emerging vision as a transparent, nationally led trust mechanism—linking reconstruction with sustainable development through innovative financing tools, local participation, and partnerships with regional and international donors.
Turning the Tax System on Its Head: Assessing Syria’s New Fiscal Reform
Syria’s 2026 tax reform swaps a fragmented system with flat rates and high exemptions—but our assessment warns it risks deepening fiscal vulnerability despite its advantages.
Freezing Bank Deposits Gives Rise to a Parallel Market
Withdrawal limits have frozen Syrians’ bank deposits, fueling a parallel market where balances are sold at steep discounts. Our analysis exposes this system and its repercussions.
Steps Toward Economic Recovery: Investment Memoranda of Understanding in Syria
The first detailed mapping of Syria’s USD 25.4 billion post-Assad MoUs highlights their scale and distribution, while underscoring the risk for implementation.
The UXO Threat: Syria’s Hidden War Against Landmines and Explosives
Syria faces the world’s most severe UXO crisis, with 2025 deaths projected to nearly triple the average of the past 13 years. A national body is urgently needed to coordinate clearance with international partners.
External Contribution: Dr. Lorenzo Trombetta, Senior Analyst and Author on Contemporary Syrian History
Syria and Lebanon: Borderlands as Catalysts for Development and De-escalation in the Levant
Assad’s fall and Hezbollah’s weakening create a rare opening in Syria–Lebanon ties. This analysis shows how turning borderlands into economic corridors could foster stability.
Interview: Azzam Al-Gharib, Governor of Aleppo
Governor Al-Gharib outlines his vision for Aleppo, addressing administrative transparency, financial management, reconstruction priorities, and investment strategies to balance urgent needs with long-term development.
Unlocking Access: Addressing Compliance Constraints in Syria’s Banking Sector
Sanctioned individuals in ownership structures block banks’ global reintegration; a way forward is seizing their assets, strengthening compliance and signaling reform.
International Oil Companies: The Return to Syria
Following sanctions relief, international oil companies are eyeing a return to Syria. However, unresolved legal claims and high political risk still cast a shadow over re-entry.
The Syrian Public Sector: Restructuring the State After Assad
The Interim Government is overhauling the bloated public sector through payroll audits, dismissals, and civil service reform. While promising, high costs and fragmented implementation raise concerns.