Arab world, West call for lifting sanctions on Syria

The Arab world and several Western countries jointly called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria at a meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, marking a coordinated effort to support the war-torn country.

The meeting, led by Saudi Arabia, was the first to include Syrian interim government officials and top Western diplomats. It followed the fall of Syria's previous government and centered on steps to support the Syrian people in rebuilding a unified, independent and secure state, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

"We stressed the importance of lifting unilateral and international sanctions imposed on Syria, as their continuation hinders the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction," said Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

A communique released by the Saudi Foreign Ministry reiterated calls to remove sanctions and expressed concern over Israel's incursions into the occupied Golan Heights.

Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, who has repeatedly called for lifting long-standing sanctions, attended the talks alongside foreign ministers and representatives from Bahrain, Egypt, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries.

UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the meeting reflected the significance of collective regional and international efforts to support the Syrian people at all levels, the Emirates News Agency reported.

Gokhan Ereli, a Gulf studies coordinator at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Turkiye, told China Daily that the meeting showed Saudi Arabia's intent to lead efforts to reintegrate Syria into the Arab world.

"By advocating for reconstruction, humanitarian aid and sanctions relief, the kingdom is not only positioning itself as a key regional player but also working to resolve one of the Middle East's most complex crises in a way that aligns with its vision for stability and security," he said.

Hussein Maklad, a professor of international relations at Damascus University, said the sanctions have negatively affected the Syrian people and lifting such curbs will go to the benefit of all Syrian people.

The US, the UK, the European Union and others have imposed harsh sanctions on Syria since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011.

Last week, the US issued a six-month exemption from its sanctions to facilitate humanitarian aid and allow some energy-related transactions with Syrian governing bodies.

In a statement published by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, Faisal welcomed Washington's decision, urging all forms of support for Syria, which "will create the appropriate environment for the return of Syrian refugees".

France, Germany and Italy have recently pushed for the relaxation of EU sanctions on Syria, but a final decision could only come from the entire bloc.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said during the Riyadh meeting that European foreign ministers would convene in Brussels on Jan 27 to discuss how the bloc would ease sanctions on Syria.

However, any decision would be contingent on the new Syrian administration's approach to governing, which must include representation from "different groups" and women and "no radicalization", Kallas said, without elaborating.

Meanwhile, experts highlighted the urgency for reconstruction in Syria.

"If you are giving the licenses for six months, there will be no construction or reconstruction either in the health sector or in the cities that are ruined to the ground because of the bombardment of the planes. Syrian reconstruction needs years," said Rasha Al Joundy, a senior researcher at the Dubai Public Policy Research Centre.

Galip Dalay, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House in London, told Al Jazeera that until the new Syrian government delivers on points emphasized by the West, "any assistance will be quite limited", mostly confined to the humanitarian aspect.

"What Syria needs is much beyond that and consists of massive reconstruction. So far, we don't see the Western actors showing full commitment before they see some steps in Syria," he said.

Agencies contributed to this story.