DAMASCUS
\nUN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged the removal of all sanctions imposed on Syria during the era of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad, as he concluded a two-day visit to the country. Syria\u2019s new authorities, who took power in December 2024, are trying to turn the page after more than 13 years of war, and to reboot the economy and rebuild infrastructure and institutions.
\nWestern countries including the United States have announced the easing of sanctions on Syria, but investors have remained cautious, while the World Bank has estimated the country\u2019s post-war reconstruction could cost $216 billion.
\n\u201cI welcome steps that have eased sanctions, and opening new possibilities for economic recovery, but all these sanctions must be removed immediately,\u201d Guterres told a press conference in Damascus, concluding what he called a \u201cdeeply meaningful and productive visit\u201d.
\n\u201cThe United Nations stands with the people of Syria at this pivotal moment. And I came carrying the strongest possible appeal to the international community, an appeal to spare no effort to support the Syrian people and to support the Syrian government,\u201d Guterres said.
\n\u201cSyria today is at a crossroads.\u201d Guterres is the first UN chief to visit Syria since his predecessor Ban Ki-moon in 2009, two years before the start of Syria\u2019s war, which killed more than half a million people.
\n\u201cSyria needs investment in its people, its economy and its institutions. Syria needs support to restore essential services, rebuild infrastructure, revive livelihoods,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DAMASCUS UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged the removal of all sanctions imposed on Syria during the era of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad, as he concluded a two-day visit to the country. Syria\u2019s new authorities, who took power in December 2024, are trying to turn the page after more than 13 years of war, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":448937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-558767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n