The Central Bank of Syria has resumed international financial communications via the SWIFT network after a 14-year suspension caused by sanctions imposed during the former regime.
Abdul Qader Husariya, Governor of the Central Bank, sent the first messages to correspondent banks worldwide, including the U.S. Federal Reserve in New York, marking Syria’s re-entry into the global banking system. Receipt of the messages has been confirmed, Husariya said.
Husariya added that the messages mark the start of a new phase in Syria’s financial and economic policy. He noted that the bank had long been sanctioned and barred from accessing the system, and that returning to SWIFT allows the bank to rebuild correspondent relationships.
He described the move as a key step in reintegrating Syria’s financial system with the international banking network. He added that the return to SWIFT will enable direct communication with foreign banks, allow investors to transfer capital, facilitate remittances, and help recover frozen funds abroad.
The governor also noted that technical staff underwent intensive training to ensure efficient operation of the system, and that the step advances Syria’s anti-money laundering initiatives.
SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications) is a global network connecting more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries, enabling secure international bank messaging and facilitating global trade.
