Washington D.C. – The United States House of Representatives has approved a measure that would repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which imposed stringent sanctions on Syria. The move came as part of the House’s approval of the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday.
The legislation stipulates that the lifting of sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act is contingent upon specific conditions. The President of the United States is required to submit an initial report to congressional committees within 90 days, followed by subsequent reports every 180 days for a period of four years.
These reports will assess whether Syria is taking demonstrable steps to combat terrorist organizations, respect the rights of minorities, refrain from unilateral military action against neighboring countries, combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, prosecute crimes against humanity allegedly committed under the former regime, and combat drug production.
The legislation further states that should these conditions not be met during two consecutive reporting periods, specific sanctions could be reimposed on designated entities.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to be voted on next week. If approved by the Senate, it will then be sent to the President for his signature to become law.
The original Caesar Act was enacted by Congress on December 11, 2019, with the stated aim of penalizing individuals within the former Syrian government for alleged war crimes committed against civilians in Syria. Proponents of the repeal argue it could pave the way for foreign investment and aid to support the new Syrian administration.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, Abdul Qadir Hosriya, has stated that the termination of the Caesar Act would be a crucial step towards reintegrating the country into the global banking system. He explained that the Caesar Act had negatively impacted the bank’s ability to manage monetary policy and provide liquidity. The Governor also indicated that the government has developed plans to modernize the financial and banking system following the potential lifting of sanctions and has received training from the US Treasury Department and held discussions with major banks regarding future steps.
