Syria welcomes US House vote to repeal Caesar Act sanctions

ISTANBUL

Syria on Thursday welcomed a vote in the US House of Representatives to repeal the Caesar Act sanctions, calling it a direct outcome of months of “constructive diplomatic engagement” between Damascus and Washington.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the step, passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, marks a “pivotal moment” in rebuilding trust and opening a new path for cooperation under the vision of President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Repealing the sanctions would pave the way for broader economic recovery and restore opportunities “denied to the Syrian people for years due to imposed sanctions,” the statement added.

The move, it said, along with an expected Senate vote next week, would improve imports of essential goods and medical supplies and help create conditions for reconstruction and revitalizing the national economy.

Syria “will continue working diligently to lift the remaining restrictions in service of the Syrian people,” the statement said.

It also expressed appreciation to all parties that supported the process and voiced hope that upcoming votes would complete the dismantling of the sanctions framework and “open new horizons of cooperation” between Syria and the US.

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) -- a $901 billion measure that outlines the Pentagon’s policies.

Key provisions in the 3,086-page bill include $800 million for Ukraine -- $400 million for each of the next two years -- as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and repealing Caesar sanctions on Syria under the former Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act allows the US to impose economic and travel sanctions on anyone, Syrian or foreign, who aids the former Assad regime’s military, intelligence, aviation, or energy-production sectors. It also targets individuals and entities that help the regime obtain goods, services, or technology that enable military operations.