After over 13 years of terrible civil conflict that destroyed the country’s infrastructure, the World Bank says that rebuilding Syria could cost as much as $216 billion.
On Tuesday, the World Bank released its most recent report, which looked at the damage done to infrastructure and buildings from 2011 to 2024.
Rebuilding is still one of the hardest things for Syria’s new Islamist leaders to do. They took charge after long-time leader Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December.
One-third of Syria’s capital stock has been destroyed, and more than half a million people have died.
More than 500,000 people have died and millions have been forced to leave their homes because of the Syrian civil war, which started in 2011 after Assad violently put down pro-democracy protests.
The World Bank research says that the war damaged over a third of Syria’s gross capital assets before the war, with direct physical destruction costing $108 billion.
The research said that “infrastructure was the hardest hit,” with roads, electricity networks, hospitals, and schools making up 48% of the overall destruction, or nearly $52 billion.
Most of the damage happened in Aleppo and the countryside around Damascus.
The most damage happened in the Aleppo province and the countryside around Damascus, which were both previous rebel strongholds that were bombarded heavily for years.
The research says that the total cost of physical assets is between $140 billion and $345 billion, with a “conservative best estimate” of $216 billion.
The World Bank also predicted that the bill for rebuilding will be ten times higher than Syria’s anticipated GDP in 2024. This shows how big the economic problem is.
The World Bank says it will help rebuild Syria.
Jean-Christophe Carret, the World Bank’s director for the Middle East, said, “The challenges ahead are huge.” He also noted that the bank “stands ready to work with the Syrian people and the international community to support recovery and reconstruction.”
Since Assad’s demise, Syria’s new authorities have tried to get foreign investors to come to the country by negotiating deals with Gulf countries and multinational firms to help restore important infrastructure and industries.
Syria Asks for Help from the World
Mohammed Barnieh, Syria’s finance minister, praised the report and said it was a “critical baseline” for recognizing how bad the damage was.
He stated, “Now, more than ever, the international community must come together to help Syria rebuild its basic infrastructure, revive its communities, and lay the groundwork for a stronger future for its people.”