The costs of reconstructing Syria after 13 years of war could exceed 216 billion dollars, the World Bank (WB) estimated yesterday.
“The upcoming challenges are enormous, but the WB is ready to work with the Syrian people and the international community to support recovery and reconstruction,” said Jean-Christophe Carret, Director of the Middle East Department.
According to the WB report, “reconstruction costs are estimated at more than 216 billion dollars after more than 13 years of conflict that destroyed the Syrian economy, with real gross domestic product (GDP) falling by nearly 53 percent from 2010 to 2022.”
Reconstruction is one of the main challenges for Syria’s new leaders, who took power in December 2024 following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.
The new government in Damascus has already signed investment agreements with several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.
The Aleppo region in the north, the Damascus area, and Homs province in central Syria are the most affected by the destruction, the report notes.
“Among the estimated categories, infrastructure was the most affected, accounting for 48 percent of total damage, followed by residential and non-residential buildings,” the report adds.
The WB estimates that reconstruction costs will be ten times higher than Syria’s projected GDP for 2024.
Syria’s Finance Minister Mohamed Barnieh said the report provides “an important basis for assessing the scale of massive destruction and the costs of reconstruction ahead.”
“Today, more than ever, it is imperative that the international community mobilizes its support and partnerships to help Syria,” added the minister, who last week attended the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the WB in Washington.
Assad’s suppression of the civil uprising in 2011 escalated into a civil war in which more than 500.000 people were killed, millions were internally displaced, and the country became significantly fragmented.
