US EditionLifting of US sanctions on Syria could spur refugee returns, says UN official
The permanent repeal of the Caesar Act aims to attract international investment for Syria's reconstruction as over 1 million refugees have returned, UN officials said.
- Thursday, the U.S. Senate voted to remove Caesar Act sanctions, with President Donald Trump expected to sign the repeal, UNHCR Lebanon warned it could encourage more refugee returns.
- The Caesar Act was imposed to punish President Bashar al-Assad for wartime abuses, and despite a temporary executive order lift, reconstruction stalled and international companies hesitated to invest.
- An estimated 400,000 refugees have returned from Lebanon, with about 636,000 registered with UNHCR; returning families get a $600 per family cash payment despite destroyed homes and limited work.
- Billing warned that without jobs and reconstruction many returnees may leave again, underscoring the need for private-sector investors despite limited international aid so far.
- Sectarian violence and fears among religious minorities have driven new displacement, with about 112,000 Syrians fled to Lebanon amid new refugees lacking legal status and documentation needs.
12 Articles
12 Articles
The UN Refugee Agency reports that more than one million refugees and nearly two million internally displaced Syrians have returned home since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hailed the complete lifting of international sanctions against Syria as "the beginning of a new phase of construction," thanking in particular the United States and the countries that supported the removal of restrictive measures. In a message broadcast today via the X platform and delivered from Mount Qasioun, overlooking the capital Damascus, al-Sharaa addressed the citizens directly, stating: "Today is the fir…
In a video posted on social media, Shaara thanked President Donald Trump for hearing the cry of the Syrian people. The lifting of the harsh sanctions regime, known as the Caesar Act, comes a year after the fall of dictator Bashar Assad.
Beirut: A United Nations refugee agency official in Lebanon said on Thursday that the steps taken by the United States to lift the comprehensive sanctions on Syria could encourage more refugees to return to their country, and also help encourage investments.
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