Syrian President Shara outlined his country’s goals following the lifting of sanctions at the Arab Media Summit held in Dubai. Saying that generations in Syria had grown up without knowledge of financial and banking systems because of restrictions imposed since 1979, Shara described the lifting of sanctions as a historic decision.
Shara said initiatives by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with U.S. President Donald Trump had contributed to the decision. Arguing that the Syrian people were not responsible for the sanctions, Shara said lifting the restrictions had broken the shackles imposed on Syria.
Shara said they aimed to lead the country toward stability through the right policies and steps, adding that six decades of administrative corruption and repression in Syria had come to an end. He said stability would be a major gain not only for the Syrian people but also for the entire region.
Investment target for Syria’s economy
Shara said Syria should now be seen by the international community as a country offering major opportunities rather than as a crisis zone. Saying they aimed to transform Syria from a center of conflict into an island of stability, Shara said they wanted to make the country a secure trade corridor between East and West and a guarantor of energy supply chains.
Shara said there were major opportunities in the investment, energy and food sectors, adding that many Arab investors, particularly from the Gulf states, were turning toward Syria. He said several memoranda of understanding had been signed and that some of them had begun to be implemented.
Commenting on Syria’s agricultural capacity, Shara said the country could feed approximately 70–75 million people without using current agricultural technologies. Saying the population stood at around 25–30 million, Shara stated that this capacity could be increased to more than 100 million through modern agricultural technologies.
Shara said they wanted to transform Syria into a strong and stable country capable of achieving economic growth. Saying that the country’s greatest asset was its society, Shara said they would protect the dignity, independence and honor of its citizens.
Emphasis on the role of the media
Shara said the media bore a heavy responsibility in covering events, adding that broadcasting should be based on impartiality, accuracy of information and reliability. He said people’s minds were shaped by the words of media professionals.
