As the transitional administration in Damascus looks for foreign assistance after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown late last year, the Canadian government has announced steps to loosen sanctions on Syria.
On Wednesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly declared that Ottawa would contribute an additional 84 million Canadian dollars ($59 million) to humanitarian aid. Furthermore, Canada will permit money transfers via specific banks, such as the Central Bank of Syria.
The nomination of Stefanie McCollum, Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon, to serve concurrently as the non-resident ambassador to Syria is another indication of Canada’s increased commitment.
The “commitment to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people and to support a transition to an inclusive and peaceful future” was reaffirmed by the Canadian government in a statement. Formerly “used as a tool against the Assad regime,” the statement stressed that lifting the sanctions would “help enable the stable and sustainable delivery of aid, support local redevelopment efforts, and contribute to a swift recovery for Syria.”
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Other Western Nations Impose Sanction On Syria
Many Western nations, including Canada, imposed sanctions on Syria under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad, who was removed from power by rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
“Canada is also taking steps to ease existing sanctions for a period of 6 months, to support democratisation, stabilisation, and the delivery of aid to and within Syria during this period of transition,” the Canadian government stated.
Despite assurances from the Syrian interim government regarding the protection of religious and ethnic minorities, reports indicate that security forces have allegedly killed hundreds of Alawite civilians in recent days.
The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that over 1,500 people have been killed in outbreaks of violence in Syria this month, including at least 1,068 civilians.
“We call on all parties to prioritise the work toward de-escalation and national reconciliation and prevent the country from descending into fragmentation and violence,” said Joly.
Omar Alghabra, Canada’s special envoy for Syria, stated that “Canada can … help prevent Syria from falling into chaos and instability.”
