Arab League lifts sanctions on Syria after 15 years

The Arab League Ministerial Council has decided to lift all sanctions imposed by the Arab League on Syria, in a move that opens the way for broader Arab support for recovery and reconstruction efforts.

The decision, issued during the 166th regular session of the Arab League Council, calls for “lifting all political, economic and social sanctions imposed on the Syrian Arab Republic by the League’s institutions and bodies and joint Arab action mechanisms,” which had previously been approved by the League Council and the Economic and Social Council.

The decision covers sanctions set out in Arab League resolutions issued in November 2011, which included economic and social sanctions against the Baath regime, as well as other related resolutions issued by joint Arab action institutions.

In contrast, the council maintained the list of officials subject to travel bans and balance freezes, meaning that the lifting of sanctions does not apply to the individual measures imposed against these officials.

The League Council tasked the Economic and Social Council with overseeing the implementation of the decision to lift the sanctions, ensuring the removal of measures imposed on Syria by institutions and bodies of the Arab League in accordance with the new decision.

The Arab League had imposed a package of sanctions on the former Syrian government in November 2011 amid developments in the Syrian crisis at the time. The measures included economic and social sanctions, along with other measures adopted by joint Arab action institutions.