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The Trump administration has taken its first concrete action to deliver sanctions relief for Syria, following a surprise policy shift earlier this month.
On Friday, the US Department of the Treasury announced extensive relief measures for an array of individuals and entities, aimed at “enabling new investment and private sector activity consistent with [Trump’s] America First strategy”.
The US State Department simultaneously issued a waiver to a 2019 law, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which will “enable our foreign partners, allies, and the region to further unlock Syria’s potential”.
Trump’s pledge on May 13 to remove sanctions that were placed on Syria during the tenure of its ousted leader, President Bashar al-Assad, had surprised the international community.
Friday’s announcements represent an initial step towards that goal, as Syria recovers from the abuses of al-Assad’s government and 13 years of civil war.
“As President Trump promised, the Treasury Department and the State Department are implementing authorizations to encourage new investment into Syria,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated.
“Syria must also continue to work toward becoming a stable country that is at peace, and today’s actions will hopefully put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous, and stable future.”
Sanctions relief is critical for Syria to move forward. The United States is issuing a Caesar Act sanctions waiver to increase investments and cash flows that will facilitate basic services and reconstruction in Syria. We support the Syrian people’s efforts to build a more…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 23, 2025
Trump first revealed his plans for sanctions relief during a tour of the Middle East in mid-May. He expressed that lifting US sanctions would give Syria “a chance at greatness”, acknowledging that the restrictions had economically isolated the war-torn nation.
“It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” Trump stated in Riyadh.
Soon after, he met and shook hands with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had recently been removed from the US’s “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” list.
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Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/23/us-lifts-first-sanctions-on-syria-following-trumps-surprise-announcement?traffic_source=rss
