Roundtable in New York
Syria's finance minister took part in a banking roundtable held in New York on 1 October 2026 and convened by the United States Treasury. He said the talks focused on cooperation between the Treasury, the Syrian finance ministry and the Central Bank of Syria, and on supporting reforms that would reconnect the country's financial sector to the global system.
The gathering drew major American and international banks and financial institutions, giving Syrian officials a direct audience with the lenders whose participation is needed to restore cross-border banking ties.
An External Assessment
The discussions followed a review of a gap assessment of Syria's financial sector carried out by an international consulting firm, with support from the United States Treasury and a Qatari development fund. Officials used the meeting to present the progress Syria has made in its effort to rejoin the global financial network. Years of sanctions and the exclusion of Syrian banks from international payment channels have pushed much of the economy toward cash and informal transfers, making the restoration of formal banking links a central aim of the government's economic plans.
The Reform Agenda
The finance ministry set out its plans across several areas, including the management of public finances, state-owned banks, and reform of the capital-markets and insurance sectors. It also pointed to work on strengthening financial integrity and raising standards for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
The Central Bank presented its own strategy and highlighted the progress it has made along its reform track.
Next Meeting in Damascus
Among those attending were the United States ambassador, Tom Barrack, alongside senior Syrian diplomats posted in the United States. The ministry extended an open invitation for the participants to visit Damascus, where it hopes to convene the next roundtable.
The minister affirmed a commitment to building a financial system that is, in his words, "sound, effective and transparent," and welcomed the growing cooperation with the United States Treasury.