Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said the biggest challenge facing Syrians is reconstruction, which is why the Syrian government considers it a priority.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, carried on Saturday, 14 February, al-Shibani said that four million homes have been destroyed in Syria and that entire Syrian cities were bombed. He said 2026 will see the launch of “a real economic development process aimed at rebuilding infrastructure and destroyed homes.”
He noted that Damascus has “succeeded in bringing in nearly $60 billion through memorandum of understanding and contracts signed during the past period.”
Earlier, Syrian Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Abdul Razzaq, said there are around one million destroyed homes in Syria as a result of military operations over the past 14 years, in addition to three to four million people living in informal housing.
He said the ministry faces major logistical challenges, including old buildings, worn-out equipment, and technologies dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. He added that current efforts focus on developing staff and recruiting new personnel, alongside updating methods and equipment through human, financial, and logistical support.
Syria has suffered extensive destruction to buildings and infrastructure, amid differing estimates of the total cost needed for reconstruction. While the World Bank estimated the cost at $216 billion, official Syrian statements have put it at between $600 billion and $900 billion.
Tense relationship with Israel
On regional affairs, al-Shibani described relations with Israel as “currently tense,” saying, “Israel exploited the transitional phase in Syria.”
He affirmed his government’s commitment to a US-led diplomatic track aimed at reinforcing the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, with some amendments that do not affect the essence of the agreement or Syrian sovereignty.
He added that the first and most fundamental condition for the Syrian government is Israel’s withdrawal from the territories it occupied after 8 December 2024.
Al-Shibani said, “I can say the ball is now in the Israeli court. Syria is serious about seeking a calm relationship, a security agreement, and a truce in the region.”
Syrian and Israeli sides held more than one round of negotiations over the past year without reaching an agreement, the latest of which was in Paris on 6 January.
The results of that meeting were described as “positive” regarding signing a security agreement between the two sides, according to the US outlet Axios.
Axios quoted unnamed Israeli and US officials with direct knowledge of the matter as saying Syria and Israel agreed to accelerate negotiations to reach a new security agreement between the two countries.
A senior Israeli official told Axios that Syria and Israel agreed at the meeting to increase the pace of negotiations, hold more frequent meetings, and take confidence-building measures between the two countries.
According to Israel’s The Jerusalem Post, Syria, Israel, and the United States agreed to establish a joint “integration mechanism” to serve as a communications cell for exchanging intelligence, reducing military escalation, diplomatic engagement, and commercial issues.
Despite more than a month having passed since the meeting, no follow-up meeting has been held, amid differing views between the two sides. While Damascus is calling for a full Israeli withdrawal from the points Israel entered after 8 December 2024, Israel insists on maintaining a military presence in the buffer zone inside Syrian territory.
A French diplomat familiar with the talks told Enab Baladi on 10 February that Paris expects a new round of negotiations soon, but did not specify a date.
Minorities and internal stability
The Syrian foreign minister said, “There is no violence against minorities in Syria,” in response to concerns about the situation of minorities.”
Al-Shibani said what happened “was problems with armed groups outside the law, and it was portrayed as sectarian conflicts.” He added that “minorities are present in the government and parliament and in every Syrian home, and the state protects them.”
He said the transitional phase may create a sense of insecurity for some, but noted that 1.5 million Syrians have returned within one year and that refugee camps have been emptied, according to him.
Al-Shibani concluded by saying Syria today represents “a real opportunity” for investment, describing the situation in Syria as “very safe, and a real opportunity (…) Investment in emerging countries is often successful, and Syria today is an emerging country.”
He added that “protecting sects means not dragging them into misleading political propaganda.”
Over the past year, Syria has seen large numbers of refugees return from abroad, especially from neighboring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, while fewer have returned from European countries.
On the security front, several areas in Syria have witnessed tense security conditions, such as the coast, Suwayda, and northeastern Syria. Some parties have accused the Syrian government of committing violations against minorities in Syria, such as Alawites, Druze, and Kurds, which Damascus denies. The government says it is targeting outlaw groups and that its policies do not discriminate among Syrians of different components.
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