Play store
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday called for the immediate removal of all sanctions imposed on Syria during the rule of former president Bashar al-Assad, saying the country needs urgent international support to rebuild after more than a decade of devastating conflict.
Speaking at a press conference in Damascus at the end of his two-day visit, Guterres welcomed recent moves by several countries to ease restrictions but stressed that all remaining sanctions should be lifted without delay.
“I welcome steps that have eased sanctions and opened new possibilities for economic recovery, but all these sanctions must be removed immediately,” he said.
The visit, the first by a UN Secretary-General to Syria since Ban Ki-moon travelled there in 2009, comes as the country’s new authorities, who assumed power in December 2024, seek to revive the war-ravaged economy, rebuild state institutions and restore stability after more than 13 years of conflict.
Although the United States and several Western nations have begun easing economic sanctions, international investors remain cautious. The World Bank estimates that rebuilding Syria will require around $216 billion, reflecting the enormous scale of destruction caused by the prolonged civil war.
Describing the current period as a critical turning point, Guterres said the international community must step up support for both the Syrian people and the country’s new government.
“The United Nations stands with the people of Syria at this pivotal moment. I came carrying the strongest possible appeal to the international community to spare no effort in supporting the Syrian people and the Syrian government,” he said.
“Syria today is at a crossroads.”
The UN chief said Syria urgently needs investment in its people, economy and institutions to restore basic public services, rebuild critical infrastructure and revive livelihoods.
He also stressed the importance of creating conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of millions of Syrian refugees and internally displaced people who were forced to flee during the conflict.
Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011, claimed an estimated half a million lives and displaced millions more, making it one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The country’s new leadership has identified economic recovery and reconstruction as key priorities, but achieving those goals will depend heavily on sustained international assistance and broader sanctions relief.