From Openness to Subjugation: How Gulf Aid Has Reshaped Syria’s Economy One Year On

From Openness to Subjugation: How Gulf Aid Has Reshaped Syria’s Economy One Year On

One year into the seismic upheavals of the so-called “Liberation Phase”, Syria’s economy stands at a crossroads—caught between the lure of external revitalisation and the risk of internal stagnation. Financial lifelines from the Gulf—principally Saudi Arabia and Qatar—have proved vital, plugging holes in state coffers and sustaining the salaries of a strained civil service. Yet, as economist George Khazam warns, these generous injections risk mo…