The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed its welcome for the American move to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria under the “Caesar Act”, describing this decision as a pivotal step towards alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Syrian people, and paving the way for restoring stability in the region.
Background of the Caesar Act and its historical impact
To understand the significance of this Saudi welcome, one must return to the origins of the Caesar Act for the Protection of Civilians in Syria, signed by former US President Donald Trump in December 2019 and implemented in June 2020. The law is named after a Syrian military photographer who defected and leaked thousands of photographs documenting human rights abuses. The law imposed crippling economic sanctions not only on the Syrian regime but also on any international or regional entity that conducts business with it or contributes to reconstruction efforts. This led to Syria's economic isolation and an unprecedented collapse in the value of the Syrian pound, negatively impacting the lives of Syrian citizens.
Diplomatic context and Arab rapprochement
The Saudi position is consistent with the recent geopolitical shifts in the region, which culminated in Syria regaining its seat in the Arab League and participating in the Arab Summit in Jeddah in May 2023. Riyadh has recently adopted a “zero problems” strategy and focused on regional development, with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan emphasizing on more than one occasion that isolating Syria is no longer useful, and that dialogue with Damascus is necessary to address humanitarian issues, the return of refugees, and combating drug trafficking.
The economic and humanitarian importance of the decision
This decision is expected to have far-reaching effects at both the local and regional levels:
- On the humanitarian level: Lifting the sanctions will allow the flow of humanitarian and medical aid without bureaucratic obstacles, and will facilitate the work of international organizations in providing relief to those affected, especially after the successive crises that have ravaged the infrastructure.
- On the economic front, this opens the door to reconstruction efforts that require massive investments, potentially revitalizing Syria's ailing economy. It will also have a positive impact on neighboring countries like Lebanon and Jordan, whose economies have been indirectly affected by sanctions that have restricted trade and energy flows across Syria's borders.
Towards a comprehensive political solution
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms that lifting the sanctions should be an incentive to advance the political process in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2254. Riyadh believes that integrating Syria into the Arab world and lifting economic restrictions will enhance the chances of reaching peaceful solutions that guarantee the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory, and end foreign interventions and armed militias, which serves the interest of Arab national security as a whole.
