The Minister of Finance, Mohamed Yousr Bernia, participated in the meetings of the finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven major industrialized countries (G7) held in the French capital, Paris, at the official invitation of the French presidency of the group.
Review of financial reforms
The Syrian Ministry of Finance said in a statement on Tuesday that Minister Bernia reviewed during a closed session the package of structural and financial reforms that the Syrian state is currently working on, highlighting the current economic challenges and the remnants of the past stage.
Barnieh stressed Syria's keenness to promote the integration of the national economy into the global financial system, and to provide a suitable legislative and safe environment to attract foreign investments and achieve sustainable development.
According to the statement of the Finance, the Syrian proposal was widely welcomed by the participants who affirmed their support for the ongoing reforms led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his transitional government, stressing that the stability of the Middle East is linked to the success of reconstruction efforts in Syria.
The ministry pointed out that the meeting witnessed a high-level attendance that included the President of the World Bank and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, in a step that reflects the growing interest of the international community and major global economies in the file of stability in Syria, and support for its reconstruction and development in the new political era.
International acclaim from the IMF and the World Bank
During the deliberations, the President of the World Bank and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised the pace and seriousness of monetary and financial reforms made by the new Syrian authorities.
The two international officials praised the level of cooperation and continuous coordination with Damascus to rehabilitate financial policies, which paves the way for the formulation of technical and advisory support programs that contribute to accelerating development and qualifying formal banking institutions to comply with international standards.
European Shifts Towards Syria
Syria's participation in this world's most prominent financial forum comes as a field translation of a series of transformations that the country has witnessed following the fall of the former regime, as the Paris meeting coincided with important decisions taken by the European Union yesterday in terms of lifting sanctions on 7 Syrian government entities, including the Ministries of Interior and Defense.
The European Union began easing restrictions on Syria in February 2025, then announced the lifting of economic sanctions in May 2025, leading to the full reactivation of the Joint Cooperation Agreement and the lifting of restrictions on sovereign government entities (which ended the financial isolation of Syrian institutions).
European sources said today that Syria's presence at the G7 summit reflects a recognition that Syria has become a reliable partner regionally, shifting the international focus towards logistical support and facilitating trade and investment exchange to rebuild the new Syria.
Washington Financial Meetings
The Minister of Finance met in Washington with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in October 2005, where Bernia explained that the meetings resulted in the appointment of a resident representative of the International Monetary Fund in Syria, and the opening of an office of the World Bank in Damascus, which contributes to the implementation of projects and technical assistance within the economic and financial reform plan of the transitional government.
The minister pointed out that the results of the participation included at the level of the IMF the agreement on a number of technical assistance in the fields of financial and banking reform, public finance, statistics, and public debt management, in addition to an understanding to receive a mission from the IMF within six months, pointing out that this will provide investors with important material on the economic situation in Syria, and may pave the way for reaching an economic and financial reform program that is not tied to loans.
The Minister of Finance stated that the security measures that were hindering the establishment of IMF missions inside Syrian territory have been lifted.
At the World Bank level, it has been agreed to receive about six technical aid missions in the coming weeks and months, covering the sectors of energy, water, education, health, transport, government financial management and financial infrastructure, according to the Minister of Finance.
The Minister of Finance noted that an understanding has been reached with the World Bank on joint work to finance a number of projects over the next three years, through grants worth about $1 billion, in sectors to be determined later by the Syrian government.
It was also agreed to restore relations with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), with the aim of supporting attracting investments and encouraging the private sector in the country, Barnia said.