Some have called them “a corpse to bury” to make room for life. These are the European sanctions imposed on Assad’s Syria—sanctions which, despite the easing measures announced last February and the recent statement from the U.S. President, still remain in place. The European Union will need to take a stance on them by May 20
Those who have been on the ground since the beginning of the conflict, working alongside the population with emergency relief projects, have witnessed—and continue to witness—the devastating impact these sanctions, in all their forms, have on people. They are now urgently calling on the European Union not to renew the sanctions set to expire on June 1, to give Syrians the chance to rebuild their country and start anew.
The country needs funding to shift from a state of chronic emergency to one of reconstruction and development, through targeted and systemic interventions in vital sectors such as education and job creation, healthcare, agriculture, and food security. These are the pillars we must invest in to recover a lost generation and revive a devastated nation. But alongside funding, Syrians need tools for freedom: let’s lift the sanctions.
After enduring fourteen years of fratricidal conflict and seeing a decades-old regime collapse in just a matter of days, Syrians are now standing at a turning point—one they hope can bring positive change. But that hope must be supported, sustained with concrete tools.
Sanctions played a key role in isolating the Assad regime and condemning its atrocities—this cannot be denied. However, those same sanctions have also crushed the civilian population, especially the most vulnerable, and continue to block economic recovery. They hinder efforts to deliver aid, rebuild destroyed infrastructure, and restart basic services and businesses. One only has to look at hospitals lacking essential equipment and trained staff, broken power grids, and crumbling water systems.
Humanitarian agencies, civil society organizations, and Syrian entrepreneurs face insurmountable barriers in transferring funds, importing supplies, or investing in recovery efforts. Meanwhile, the worsening humanitarian crisis and economic deterioration are eroding people’s confidence and driving more and more to leave.
The country has already lost many of its brightest talents—and continues to lose them.
Visa applications for emigration are a hemorrhage that won’t stop.
Lifting the sanctions could pave the way for a transition capable of reversing these conditions—retaining human capital, stabilizing the country, and enabling the emergence of a united and accountable state. A state that allows Syrians to return and rebuild, protects everyone’s rights, and reduces threats posed by non-state actors.
If, instead, recovery is undermined by the inability to attract investment, pay salaries, or restore infrastructure and essential services, public trust in the interim government could collapse—leading to yet another cycle of violence.
There are signs of softening and openness toward the new Syria from various countries. Of course, we cannot be naïve: the lifting of sanctions will undoubtedly open the door to massive foreign interests and appetites for the business opportunities that will arise. Therefore, it will be essential to remain vigilant about the international, geopolitical, and financial implications to protect minorities and the most vulnerable, and to ensure the safe return of refugees.
The time has come to release Syria from this deadly grip and allow the Syrian people—both those who remained and those in exile—to reclaim their land, their homes, and their future, so they can rebuild it.
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Article published on May 20, 2025, in Avvenire