China and the Reconstruction of Syria
THE DIPLOMAT
The past year has seen an upturn in the fortunes of Syria’s government. President Bashar al-Assad and his armed forces have reduced the Islamic State threat in the east of the country and made advances in the south of the country. This month he took back control of Deraa, where the uprising first began, back in 2011.
Despite the government’s evident satisfaction over reclaiming much of its national territory, it all comes with a huge challenge. Following seven years of war, much of the country is now in ruins, with homes, schools, hospitals, and factories destroyed.
Syria needs help to rebuild. And herein lies the problem. Many of the (mostly Western) donors with the most money are also the least sympathetic to the regime. Last year, 70 countries and institutions met in Brussels to discuss how to help rebuild Syria without helping Assad at the same time. But while they propose funneling money to firms and NGOs directly, there’s no guarantee that they can avoid the government getting involved.
