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ARTICLE · 20 DECEMBER 2024

What We're Watching Today: December 16, 2024

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Following President Bashar Assad's fall in Syria, a UN envoy on Sunday urged the swift removal of Western sanctions to help the country's new leadership and international community move forward.

United StatesInternational Law
Melissa B. Mahle
Melissa B. Mahle
Anni Coonan
Anni Coonan
Craig Simpson
Craig Simpson
William Simpson
William Simpson

What We’re Watching Today  is 1,067 words and a 7-minute read.

Global

UN envoy urges lifting of sanctions following Assad's removal in Syria

Following President Bashar Assad's fall in Syria, a UN envoy on Sunday urged the swift removal of Western sanctions to help the country's new leadership and international community move forward.

Our Take:  The push to lift sanctions on Syria underscores the international community’s urgency to stabilize the country following Assad’s ouster. However, the transitional government faces significant hurdles, namely the designation of leading rebel group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) by the US and other powers, complicating diplomatic engagement and access to foreign aid. While the removal of sanctions could accelerate reconstruction and economic recovery, concerns about human rights, good governance, and inclusivity persist, leaving the transitional government with a task to prove its credentials to gain broader

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