London, Dec. 19 (SANA) “The Economist” selected Syria as the Country of the Year 2025, as part of its annual tradition, highlighting the nation that has achieved the most significant improvement over the year.
In its issue published on 18 December 2025, the magazine explained that the criteria for selection are based on the scale of progress and improvement witnessed by a country, whether in economic, political, or other significant indicators.
The magazine noted that just a year ago, Syria was under Assad’s dictatorial rule, marked by widespread repression and torture, with prisons filled with political detainees. Tens of thousands of Syrians were killed under the dictator, who used chemical weapons and barrel bombs against civilians, while more than six million people were forced to flee abroad.
The Economist affirmed that the situation changed dramatically after the regime’s fall on 8 December 2024. The country witnessed notable improvements in security and social conditions, and fear no longer dominated people’s lives as before. Although life remains difficult, it has become largely normal for most Syrians, with nearly three million returning to their homeland.
After the deposed regime had turned Syria into a mass grave containing the bodies of tens of thousands who perished under torture in its dark prisons, the country began to witness a clear revival following its collapse. Syrian diplomacy succeeded in reintegrating the nation into international forums and ending its isolation. These efforts culminated in the lifting of U.S. and international sanctions, including the repeal of the “Caesar Act,” imposed in 2019 to punish the former regime for its crimes against the Syrian people.
MHD
