On patterns of currency use, cross-border transactions and factors influencing the adoption of digital payment systems How do global regulatory frameworks and banking requirements shape the way Syrian lenders engage in cross-border financial transactions? RA'EF YOUSSEF ABOU DAHOUD: International regulatory frameworks largely determine what Syrian banks can and cannot do in cross-border finance.…
On the readiness to adopt digital financial services and the importance of the availability of cash during the recovery How might changes in the sanctions environment affect Syrian banks’ ability to finance foreign trade? HOSSAM HALLAQ: For many years, Syrian banks have faced significant obstacles in financing foreign trade, largely due to long-standing sanctions. Only a limited number of…
On enabling investment and financing reconstruction How would you assess the current effectiveness of the capital market framework? ISSA CHAMI: The framework is constrained by outdated regulations, weak legal infrastructure and institutional practices that do not align with the functioning of capital markets in open economies. The regulations date back to a period before major global advances…
On the investment climate and mobilising financing for local companies How would you characterise the current macroeconomic transition and the investment climate? ANTOUN HABIB BETINJANEH: Syria is moving from a wartime economy defined by scarcity into a transition phase where availability is improving, but demand and purchasing power remain uneven. Many goods that were difficult to source –…
On adopting policies centred on stability and economic recovery How will banks recalibrate foreign exchange (FX) pricing and liquidity management after the pound partially retracted from its April 2025 peak? AHMAD JAMAL ZIDAN: The FX market is clearly shifting towards more market-driven pricing. Banks have already begun adapting their models to reflect real supply and demand dynamics rather…
On reinforcing investor confidence by developing a functioning interbank market and deepening financial intermediation To what extent are international precedents and multilateral guidance informing Syria’s reform roadmap and the sequencing of structural changes? ABDULKADER ALHUSSRIEH:We are learning from international experiences and being advised on implementation by the IMF. These…
