The United States has quietly approved a Qatari initiative to finance salaries for Syrian public-sector workers, marking a significant shift in Western engagement with post-Assad Syria, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
The funding plan—cleared by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)—is expected to enable a gradual salary increase of up to 400% for over a million Syrian civil servants, offering critical relief to a country crippled by 14 years of war, sanctions, and decades of economic mismanagement.
A Syrian financial source confirmed that the Qatari funds would start flowing next month, under strict conditions that exclude the interior and defense ministries, in line with Western concerns over the fundamentalist background of the new Syrian leadership.
The move reflects a notable, if cautious, softening of U.S. policy, which had remained largely frozen under sanctions dating back to former President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. The current government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has sought to distance itself from its Islamist origins under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which deposed Assad last year.
While Sharaa has not fully convinced Western capitals of his political transformation, the Biden administration's January sanctions exemption—and now Trump’s continuity of that policy—has opened space for Gulf Arab states to provide economic lifelines. In April, Saudi Arabia and Qatar jointly repaid Syria’s debts to the World Bank, enabling renewed access to international financial assistance.
Qatar, which had been reluctant to act without a U.S. greenlight, is now expected to finalize the payment plan once it receives written confirmation from OFAC. Diplomats familiar with the discussions said this could come within days.
The Qatari initiative aligns with Syria’s newly launched free market reforms, a break from decades of protectionism under Assad. The Syrian government plans to complement the Qatari-backed salary increase with domestic funding for other employees not covered by the deal.
Despite progress, ambiguity over the broader U.S. sanctions regime continues to challenge efforts by international stakeholders to engage with Damascus. Humanitarian and financial institutions have requested clearer exemptions to avoid violating U.S. law.
Western officials remain wary of Syria’s security apparatus, even after the official dissolution of HTS in January. The group emerged from Jabhat al-Nusra, formerly al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, and remains a sticking point in policy deliberations.
Economic revitalization remains at the core of Sharaa’s administration. With 90% of Syrians living in poverty, according to UN data, rebuilding state institutions and restoring public confidence are viewed as essential for national recovery.
The Qatari initiative may serve as a test case for future international engagement with Syria—one that balances economic stabilization with enduring security and human rights concerns.
Haiti issued a dire appeal for regional security assistance at a meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Thursday, warning that the country is on the brink of being overtaken by powerful armed gangs.
The U.S. State Department has handed over international disaster response duties to its refugee-focused bureau, sidelining USAID’s seasoned crisis teams.
China has threatened legal action against entities that support U.S. restrictions on Chinese semiconductors, escalating tensions after Washington warned companies against using Huawei’s advanced AI chips.
Recent U.S. sanctions on Iran are not constructive when it comes to negotiations, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday, after the two countries held a fourth round of nuclear talks on Sunday in Oman.
Georgia’s State Security Service has dismissed a U.S. Embassy warning about a bomb threat at Tbilisi malls as false, criticizing the embassy for issuing the alert without coordination and urging more responsible diplomatic communication.
Despite warnings from FEMA that offering aid to migrants might violate smuggling laws, shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to receive individuals released by ICE, creating confusion and concern among nonprofits.
Russia is preparing to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal once a recent prisoner swap concludes, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Friday, signaling a potential step forward in peace efforts.
Boeing has struck a deal with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid criminal charges over the 737 Max tragedies, agreeing to pay over $1.1 billion in penalties, victim support, and safety reforms.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the failed launch of the country’s second naval destroyer, calling the incident an “unpardonable criminal act” and demanding accountability amid skepticism over the extent of damage to the warship.
German police say at least 17 people were injured in a knife attack at Hamburg’s main train station on Friday.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
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Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
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Two staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.- Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot and killed on Wednesday night by a lone gunman as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, close to the White House.
Russia is preparing to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal once a recent prisoner swap concludes, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Friday, signaling a potential step forward in peace efforts.
Boeing has struck a deal with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid criminal charges over the 737 Max tragedies, agreeing to pay over $1.1 billion in penalties, victim support, and safety reforms.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the failed launch of the country’s second naval destroyer, calling the incident an “unpardonable criminal act” and demanding accountability amid skepticism over the extent of damage to the warship.
German police say at least 17 people were injured in a knife attack at Hamburg’s main train station on Friday.
Iran and the U.S. ended a fresh round of indirect talks in Rome, as negotiators hope to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Despite warnings from FEMA that offering aid to migrants might violate smuggling laws, shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to receive individuals released by ICE, creating confusion and concern among nonprofits.
Russia is preparing to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal once a recent prisoner swap concludes, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Friday, signaling a potential step forward in peace efforts.
Boeing has struck a deal with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid criminal charges over the 737 Max tragedies, agreeing to pay over $1.1 billion in penalties, victim support, and safety reforms.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the failed launch of the country’s second naval destroyer, calling the incident an “unpardonable criminal act” and demanding accountability amid skepticism over the extent of damage to the warship.
German police say at least 17 people were injured in a knife attack at Hamburg’s main train station on Friday.
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