Syria shifts from isolation to partnership, and Kuwait calls for restoring its role
Amid Arab and international welcome for the decision to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation it had been on since 1979, US envoy Tom Barrack announced today that Damascus had moved “from isolation to partnership and from a source of terrorism to fighting it.”
The day after the US Treasury Department ended its 47-year-old designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, which had been accompanied by stringent economic sanctions, Kuwait welcomed the US decision, describing it as an important step toward supporting Syria’s recovery, reconstruction, and development, and strengthening its return to its natural regional and international role. Kuwait reaffirmed its firm and supportive stance toward all aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people, and toward preserving Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, ensuring a secure and stable future for its citizens.
For his part, Barrack said in a statement that “the removal of Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism is another decisive step in its unique journey from isolation to partnership, and from a source of terrorism to a committed partner in the global war against it.”
Barrack added: “This designation has long served as a wall separating the Syrian people from the investments, projects, and opportunities necessary to rebuild their homeland. Today, another wall falls, and capital can replace conflict, projects can replace isolation, and trade can continue its triumph over chaos.”
Barrack emphasized that this is not merely about removing a designation, but represents another cornerstone of a new relationship between the United States and Syria, based on shared interests, mutual security, and shared prosperity. It also serves as another example of the tangible realization of the US President’s vision, which is based on the principle of “security first, then prosperity.”
For his part, President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced today that “Syria, whose designation was linked to terrorism under the Assad family’s rule, has torn a page from its painful past with its own hands to embark on a space of development, reconstruction, and building,” and thanked “President Trump and all the friendly and supportive countries that stood by it.”
The Treasury Department also announced the removal of several individuals and entities from the list, in addition to declassifying Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by al-Sharaa, previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra before severing its ties with al-Qaeda in 2016, as a global terrorist organization.
Arab and regional countries welcomed the US decision, considering the removal of Syria from the terrorism list a significant development that would support economic recovery, reconstruction, stability, and the reintegration of Damascus into the international financial and economic systems.
