What Does Syria’s 2025 Budget Tell Us about the State of the Economy?
Syria’s 2025 budget prioritizes fiscal stability over social support despite a worsening humanitarian crisis and an increasing number of returnees.
Winners and Losers: Syrian Refugees’ Impact on Türkiye
While a burden to the state, Syrians in Türkiye have become essential to vital economic sectors and boosted export competitiveness.
Israeli Strikes Threaten Syria–Lebanon Trade
Israeli strikes on the Masnaa Crossing have driven up Syria–Lebanon shipping costs, sparking price hikes and trade disruptions.
CMA-CGM’s High-Stakes Gamble in Syria’s Latakia Port
French shipping giant CMA-CGM remains anchored at Syria’s Latakia Port despite sanctions, security risks, and Iranian competition.
External Contribution: UK Sanctions in Syria: Optimising, not Opting Out
UK Special Representative Ann Snow sets out the UK’s sanctions approach, clarifying who they target and the work done to tackle unintended consequences. Snow emphasizes that sanctions target the Assad regime and its allies, while the UK adapts regulations to support humanitarian efforts and early recovery projects across Syria.
The Interview: Fadi Dayoub: Executive Director of Local Development and Small-Projects Support and member of the Syria Resource Group, a brain trust of experts working on policy recommendations related to international assistance to Syria.
A position paper signed by over 40 Syrian organizations opposes the UN’s finalized Early Recovery Strategy and Fund. They criticize the lack of genuine Syrian input, warn of the risks of centralized control in Damascus, and the absence of a comprehensive approach to long-term recovery. Fadi is one of the drafters of the position paper.
More Syrians Seek Asylum in the EU Despite Rising Barriers: Balancing Values and Pragmatism
Push and pull factors, policy responses, and the outlook ahead.
Iranian Business Sector Loses Hope on Entering the Syrian Market
Iran’s investments in Syria aimed to expand its influence, but persistent delays and bureaucratic obstacles hindered their realization.
External Contribution: Can Network Mapping of First- and Second-Degree Relatives Unveil Sanctions Evasion?
Wael Al-Alwani (Observatory of Political and Economic Networks) outlines how the Observatory programmatically built a network database linking sanctioned individuals to their unsanctioned relatives who might be acting as fronts.
The Interview: Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator & Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria
The challenges the UN faces in Syria focus on declining humanitarian funding and the complexities of aid delivery. The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) has so far only secured 25% of its funding and emphasizes the need for a shift toward early recovery strategies. An update on the Early Recovery Trust Fund (ERTF). Collaboration with donors and the UN’s efforts to improve transparency and reduce dependency. Also, aid diversion, the exchange rate gap, and navigating Syria’s complex humanitarian landscape.