Damascus, Mar.5 (SANA) President Ahmad al-Sharaa has outlined the main priorities for rebuilding the Syrian state and advancing reconstruction efforts, stressing that the current phase requires clear strategies and a strong focus on major national priorities.
During a meeting held Tuesday at the People’s Palace in Damascus with journalists and civil society activists, President al-Sharaa stated that focusing excessively on minor details at the expense of broader goals may lead to drifting away from priorities.
He pointed out the importance of reaching consensus on strategic issues despite differences over details, particularly during periods of national challenges.
The president also addressed the state of public institutions after years of conflict, the ongoing efforts to rebuild them, as well as issues related to political and media freedoms and reconstruction plans.
State-Building Challenges
President al-Sharaa remarked he preferred not to focus on achievements so far, noting that progress remains modest compared with the scale of the challenges facing the country.
He indicated that when the government assumed responsibilities in Damascus it faced two options: either the collapse of the state or preserving state institutions as a symbol of national continuity until rebuilding could begin.
The president stressed that early priorities focused on reforming the energy sector, restoring international relations and working toward lifting restrictions and sanctions, noting that sustainable development cannot succeed while such obstacles remain.
He added that investment will play a key role in reviving the Syrian economy.
President al-Sharaa also noted that rebuilding security and military institutions was among the most critical challenges, as security is a fundamental prerequisite for economic recovery.
Economic and Energy Reforms
The president outlined the difficulties facing reform of Syria’s banking sector, explaining that the sector’s outdated structure, corruption issues and currency fluctuations have significantly weakened its financing capacity.
Regarding the energy sector, he pointed out that restoring electricity supply had been one of the most complex tasks due to the need to repair power plants, secure gas supplies and address infrastructure damage.
Despite these challenges, he noted that electricity supply has improved significantly within a year, reaching between 16 and 20 hours per day in some cases, an improvement many experts had not expected.
Political and Media Freedoms
On political freedoms, President al-Sharaa said that the current level of freedom of expression in Syria is relatively strong compared with several countries in the region, while acknowledging the existence of media chaos due to the absence of clear frameworks.
He added that freedoms must be supported by legal frameworks and social awareness, revealing that a law regulating political parties will be issued after the formation of the People’s Assembly, and will be drafted by legal experts in line with Syrian society’s realities.
The president warned against exploiting freedoms to fuel divisions, stressing that freedoms should serve as a tool to improve governance and share constructive ideas.
Reconstruction Plans
President al-Sharaa described the extensive destruction affecting several Syrian cities including Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Daraa and Homs, as well as areas such as Eastern Ghouta.
He said the government is pursuing two parallel reconstruction tracks.
The first focuses on villages and towns, prioritizing infrastructure rehabilitation, debris removal, and restoring schools and hospitals to allow residents to gradually return.
The second concerns cities where destruction has reached up to 90–100 percent, where the state alone cannot finance full reconstruction.
In these areas, the government is considering an investment-based model, under which homeowners would receive new apartments equivalent in size to their previous homes, while investors would benefit from additional construction space within modern urban planning schemes featuring wider roads and improved services.
President al-Sharaa noted that this model could stimulate economic growth, reduce unemployment and attract foreign investment, adding that major international companies have expressed interest in participating in reconstruction projects.
He said the government is currently finalizing the legal frameworks and technical studies required before formally launching the projects.
President al-Sharaa concluded by reiterating that rebuilding citizens’ homes must move forward alongside major investment projects aimed at developing new residential cities and upgrading national infrastructure.
A/Dh
