The Syrian foreign minister’s attendance and prominent position next to the EU foreign affairs chief at the international donor conference in Brussels on Monday marked a significant shift in the EU’s engagement with Syria’s interim government. This comes despite the initial reluctance of the EU to engage with Islamist rebels who overthrew former dictator Bashar al-Assad. However, the optimism of early days has given way to concerns over deadly sectarian violence, especially in coastal areas, and the challenges of rebuilding after years of dictatorship and civil war. The donor conference pledged €5.8 billion, significantly less than the €7.5 billion from the previous year’s conference, reflecting stretched public coffers and cautious approaches to supporting the current Damascus government amid recent violent clashes. The EU is contemplating further easing sanctions to prevent further violence and chaos, a move supported by the Syrian government, which argues that the sanctions punish them for the actions of the previous regime. However, much of Syria’s economic recovery is contingent on broader sanctions relief, including from the US, which has been hesitant to increase its support. Humanitarian groups, meanwhile, emphasize the need for creating conditions for private investment in Syria’s reconstruction.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/eu-pledges-billions-to-syria-but-sanctions-are-a-barrier/a-71956471?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf