The administration of United States President Donald Trump has taken its first concrete action to deliver sanctions relief for Syria, following a surprise policy pivot earlier this month, reports Al Jazeera.
On Friday, the US Department of the Treasury announced sweeping relief to an array of individuals and entities, which it said will "enable new investment and private sector activity consistent with [Trump's] America First strategy".
The US State Department, meanwhile, concurrently issued a waiver to a 2019 law, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, that would "enable our foreign partners, allies, and the region to further unlock Syria's potential".
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the waiver would "facilitate the provision of electricity, energy, water and sanitation, and enable a more effective humanitarian response across Syria."
The authorisation covers new investment in Syria, provision of financial services, and transactions involving Syrian petroleum products.
"Today's actions represent the first step in delivering on the president's vision of a new relationship between Syria and the United States," Rubio said on Friday.
Trump surprised the international community when, on May 13, he pledged to remove sanctions placed on Syria during the leadership of its now-ousted leader, President Bashar al-Assad.
Friday's announcements mark an initial step towards that goal, as Syria recovers from abuses under al-Assad's government and 13 years of civil war.
"As President Trump promised, the Treasury Department and the State Department are implementing authorisations to encourage new investment into Syria," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
"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".
Trump first unveiled his plans for sanctions relief during a tour of the Middle East in mid-May. He said lifting US sanctions would give Syria "a chance at greatness", since the restrictions left the war-torn country economically isolated.
"It's their time to shine. We're taking them all off," he said from Riyadh.
Shortly after, Trump met and shook hands with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had only recently been removed from the US's "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" list.
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