Paris G7 Appearance
Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Berniyeh took part in the meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors hosted by France in Paris on 19 May 2026, attending on a French-presidency invitation. The session drew the heads of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund alongside finance officials from the seven member economies.
Reform Agenda Presented
In a closed session, Berniyeh outlined the financial reforms the Syrian state is implementing and the current obstacles facing them. He underlined a commitment to "strengthening Syria's integration into the global economic and financial system" and to building an environment that attracts investment and supports sustainable development.
The presentation marked one of the most senior Syrian appearances in a G7 policy room in years.
IMF and World Bank Endorsement
World Bank President Ajay Banga and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva praised the financial reforms underway in Syria and described cooperation with the Syrian authorities as constructive. Other participants welcomed the reform program led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa and expressed support for Syria's stability and reconstruction trajectory.
Diplomatic Significance
The invitation to a closed G7 finance session is the latest signal of widening international engagement with Damascus on macroeconomic policy. The G7 brings together the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy, and serves as the principal coordination forum for major industrial economies on tax, fiscal, and monetary issues.
Officials at the meeting framed Syria's appearance as a marker of growing major-economy interest in the country's stability, reconstruction, and development trajectory.
Reintegration Track
For Damascus, the appearance fits a sequence of overtures aimed at re-entering international financial circuits, including engagement with multilateral lenders such as the World Bank and the IMF. The Syrian pound (SYP) traded at 13,970 per US dollar (USD) on 19 May 2026, marking a 6.92 percent depreciation over the prior 30 days and a 3.12 percent drop over the prior week.