Over 18,000 Firms Registered In Damascus, 1.5 Mln Refugees Returned Since Sanctions Lifted: US Embassy

ISTANBUL, May 22 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- The US on Friday said more than 18,000 companies have registered in Damascus and 1.5 million refugees have returned to Syria since Washington lifted sanctions on the country a year ago, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. 

In a statement on X, the US Embassy in Syria said the US had decided “to give Syria a chance at greatness by lifting sanctions and opening the door to investment.”

“The results speak for themselves: 18,000+ companies registered in Damascus, 1.5 million refugees returned, and billions of dollars in investment pledged,” the embassy said.

The embassy also announced the launch of “comprehensive Syria Investor Guides,” describing them as “the most detailed publicly available market intelligence report for Syria.”

It said the guides signal “American confidence that Syria can be a credible destination for responsible investment, enterprise, and integration.”

According to the statement, investment opportunities exist across sectors, including electricity, oil and gas, technology, telecommunications, real estate, and banking.

“American companies with their technological leadership, expertise, and standards are uniquely positioned to fill many of the gaps Syria urgently needs,” the embassy added.

The statement said the guides aim to help connect Syria to “trusted, resilient, and transparent economic partnerships” that support long-term prosperity and stability.

“With smart governance, regional cooperation, and responsible investment, opportunity can become reality,” it added.

On May 23 last year, the US issued a general license providing immediate sanctions relief for Syria, according to the Treasury Department.

"Syria must also continue to work towards becoming a stable country that is at peace, and today’s actions will hopefully put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous, and stable future," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent had said in a statement.

This US decision followed years of sanctions imposed in response to the ousted Syrian regime’s actions.

Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus in December 2024, ending the Baath Party's decades-long regime.

A transitional administration led by Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January 2025 and has since pursued broader international engagement and stronger cooperation with international and humanitarian institutions.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU