Syria, US hold first business forum since sanctions relief: What to know
The one-day forum in Damascus was organized by Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and the US-Syria Business Council, which was established in Washington last June to advance trade and investment between the two nations.
Syria on Monday hosted the first Syrian-American Business Forum since US sanctions on the war-torn country were lifted, marking a significant step in the normalization of economic ties between the two countries.
What happened: The one-day forum in Damascus was organized by Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and the US-Syria Business Council, which was established in Washington in June 2025 to advance trade and investment between the two nations.
Among the participants were Syria’s Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal Al Shaar; Syria’s Minister of Finance Mohammed Yisr Barnieh; Syria’s Central Bank Governor Safwat Raslan; and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bank Syria and Overseas Iyad Betinjaneh.
US participants included Deputy US Assistant Secretary Jacob McGee and former State Department adviser Timothy Lenderking.
