Syria: success and struggle six months after AssadーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
more than half a year has now passed since the Bashar al-Assad regime collapsed in Syria the US and other countries including Japan have begun lifting sanctions raising hopes for reconstruction yet millions of Syrians still need humanitarian aid there are glimmers of hope in the capital Damascus imported fruits and vegetables are appearing in markets rare under the previous government it’s wonderful to watch our country open up people have jobs products and sources of income which before were limited syria is now led by interim president Ahmed al-Sharah the former rebel leader has been trying to improve his devastated country’s standing on the world stage last month the US government announced it would ease some of its economic sanctions imposed during the Assad regime as did the EU and Japan at the same time businesses in neighboring Turkey have been eyeing the situation as potentially beneficial so far this year over 800 new companies have started focusing on exporting to Syria syria is rebuilding and there are business opportunities across many different fields i think these conditions will only grow for many Syrians an economic miracle seems far off the UN estimates around 17 million of them desperately need supplies and assistance it’s affecting the country’s next generation people like 14-year-old Ali Ibraim who stopped going to school and now works construction to support his family we don’t have enough money what’s made the situation even harder was the recent abrupt end to a key avenue of Western support syria has long relied on food and support from NOS’s funded by USAD but the Trump administration has made major cuts to that agency leaving many Syrians without a lifeline and earlier I spoke with NHK World’s Koshima May from our Cairo Bureau to learn more about the situation may what are the obstacles on Syria’s road to reconstruction there are a few things for one Syria has been in a civil war since 2011 assad was ousted six months ago that’s a short time to rebuild after over a decade of conflict as we saw there have been more falling goods entering the country but there is the issue of ongoing instability clashes continue in parts of the country between different factions such as religious sects the intellect government as well as those who still back Assad those include the Alawit minority group which supported the previous regime members were deoly attacked in the spring and many have had to leave the country we actually had a chance to speak with displaced Alawits who said they still hope to go home someday the intel government says it will strive for harmony between all of Syria’s different peoples but right now it seems to be having a hard time obviously a quick uh recovery is crucial for the roughly 17 million Syrians who are in need right now what would it mean for the region and beyond where the war in Syria has already had a big impact around the world there’s been a massive ongoing refugee crisis millions of people have fled to neighbors like Lebanon and Turkey as well as Europe the UN estimates over 500,000 Syrians have returned in the past 6 months but some of those who’ve gone back are now living in tents and unable to make money adding to Syria’s humanitarian crisis a Middle East experts told NHK that this has wide effects instability in Syria means instability for the Middle East once people feel that the security situation in Syria has stabilized more investment will come to the country boosting its reconstruction process he says the lifting of sanctions by the US and other countries is the first step toward helping Syria recover but if the country cannot resolve its internal conflicts there is not much the international community can do
More than half a year has passed since Bashar al-Assad was ousted as Syrian leader. Sanctions are being lifted, foreign goods are trickling in, but challenges remain. NHK World’s Kojima Mei explains. #world #syria #usa #europe #japan #middleeast
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