Canada announced on Wednesday that it will ease financial sanctions against Syria and appoint an ambassador as the Damascus interim government seeks international support.
Canada’s special envoy for Syria, Omar Alghabra, stated, “Canada can play a meaningful role in enabling Syrians to build an inclusive country that respects all of its citizens. We also can help prevent Syria from falling into chaos and instability.”
A statement from Canada’s foreign ministry explained that sanctions would be eased “to allow funds to be sent through certain banks in the country, such as Syria’s Central Bank.”
Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon, Stefanie McCollum, will now serve as a non-resident ambassador to Syria as well.
Previously, Canada, along with many other countries, had imposed strict sanctions against the government of Bashar Assad. The Canadian government noted that easing the sanctions would help facilitate the stable and sustainable delivery of aid, support local redevelopment, and contribute to Syria’s swift recovery.
Assad fled Syria late last year, and his administration was overthrown by opposition forces in early December. An interim government under former jihadist leader President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has since taken power.
Many international capitals welcomed Assad’s fall, but only cautiously supported the victorious rebels. Sharaa’s Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), has links to the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
The new government has promised to protect Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, but reports indicate that security forces have killed hundreds of Alawite civilians in recent days.
In response, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joy and Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen expressed concern over these killings. “We utterly condemn these atrocities and call on the interim authorities to take all necessary measures to end the violence,” they said. “Civilians must be protected, the dignity and human rights of all religious and ethnic groups must be upheld, and perpetrators must be held accountable.”
