Syria After Bashar al-Assad: Reform, Security, and the Region

IDDF Panel Discussion Report

13 April 2025 | Online via Zoom

The International Dialogue and Diplomacy Foundation (IDDF), New Delhi, is pleased to present the report of its recent panel discussion titled “Syria After Bashar al-Assad: Reform, Security, and the Region,” held virtually on 13 April 2025.

This timely panel focused on developments in Syria under the new administration led by Ahmad Al-Sharaa, addressing the ongoing political, social, and economic reforms. It also examined the current security situation and its broader implications for the region. A key theme of the discussion was the urgent need for international assistance to rebuild Syria—particularly through lifting sanctions, especially those targeting the Syrian Central Bank, and through investment in essential sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, electricity, and education.

The panel underscored the role of countries like India, which, as a leading voice of the Global South, has an opportunity to contribute constructively to Syria’s rebuilding. Participants emphasized that this process must be Syrian-led, with minimal external interference to ensure a stable and inclusive future.

Speakers also addressed Syria’s pressing security challenges. They highlighted the need for regional actors—particularly Israel —to refrain from interfering in Syria’s internal affairs and allow space for stabilization. Continued instability in Syria, they warned, would have adverse consequences for the security of the entire region.

Chair:

Ambassador Anil Trigunaya

Former Indian Ambassador to Libya and Jordan

Ambassador Trigunayat opened the session by underscoring Syria’s significance as a cradle of civilization. He commended IDDF’s dedication to exploring critical regional issues that align with India’s strategic interests. He emphasized the necessity of a Syria-led peace and reconstruction process and expressed India’s willingness to build constructive relations with Syria and other regional stakeholders.

Speakers:

Dr. Rizwan Ziadeh

Senior Fellow, Arab Center, Washington D.C.

Dr. Ziadeh provided an insider’s perspective on Syria’s transition. He discussed the devastating impact of civil war, mass migration, political repression, economic decline, drug trafficking (notably captagon), and deteriorating international relations. Despite these challenges, he noted that the current administration has largely retained institutional continuity and is fostering national dialogue among diverse stakeholders.

He identified economic recovery as Syria’s foremost challenge and called for the immediate lifting of U.S. sanctions—especially those on the Syrian Central Bank. He also highlighted the potential for countries like India to play a proactive role in Syria’s reconstruction

Dr. Sinan Hatahet 

Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council, USA

Dr. Hatahet elaborated on Syria’s complex security and non-security challenges. He urged the United States and Israel to support Syria’s stabilization, warning that regional peace hinges on the country’s recovery. He expressed optimism about a potential diplomatic breakthrough in the upcoming Trump–Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) meeting in Riyadh in May, which could open the door to easing sanctions.

He emphasized Syria’s balancing act among global powers and international organizations, including BRICS and ASEAN, and identified key sectors requiring urgent international cooperation. He specifically pointed to healthcare, pharmaceuticals, electricity, and infrastructure—areas where India could play a transformative role in rebuilding Syria.

Other Notable Participants:

Dr. Omair Anas, Director of Research, IDDF

Lt. Gen. A. S. Lamba (Retd.)

Diplomats, academics, and regional experts on West Asia