Syria foreign minister cites S'pore as inspiration for country's development after fall of Assad

Syria's new foreign minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, has cited Singapore as a model and inspiration for developing the country following the flight of its dictator, Bashar al-Assad.

Speaking about a "new Syria" at the World Economic Forum (WEF), Shaibani described Singapore and Saudi Arabia's 2030 economic plan as "inspiring" examples for the country's developmental push.

He was responding to a question posed by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair about Syria's "cultural assets" and potential for tourism, and whether Syria will look at developing such an area, in a manner akin to Saudi Arabia which has made tourism one of the key pillars of its Vision 2030 initiative.

Shaibani added, "We need Syria to be a place of peace, to be a place of development and to be a place...rid of war."

Shaibani calls for removal of sanctions

Shaibani also called for the removal of economic sanctions from the country, highlighting that "the reason for these sanctions is now in Moscow", in reference to Assad, who has taken refuge in Russia following his downfall.

"Removing the economic sanctions is key for the stability of Syria," he said.

Syria's government is currently led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which has sought to portray itself as a moderate and stabilising force for the country.

However, the government does not have full control of the country's territory.

When asked by Blair about how Syria will make its case for the sanctions to be lifted, Shaibani replied that Syria's current reputation is that it exports Captagon (an addictive drug), refugees and threats.

Now, the country will no longer be a threat to the world and it is "open", he added.

"We need Syria to be a country of peace," he said.

Shaibani: Syria's development is focused on securing basic needs for Syrians

Stressing that Syria will be open for foreign investment, Shaibani said the government is focusing on five sectors for development: energy, telecommunications, transport, education and health.

"If we succeed in these five sectors, the basic services for our Syrian people...will be provided in the right way," he said.

When asked by Blair about building a healthcare system and renewing Syria's infrastructure, Shaibani replied that the government has formed a "committee of expertise" to look into these matters.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Shaibani said the committee will also focus on privatisation efforts in the country's oil, cotton and furniture industries.

In addition, the committee is exploring public-private partnerships to drive investment for Syria's airports, roads and railways.

Shaibani acknowledged that it could be challenging to find buyers however, for decaying entities in a shattered country that has been cut off from foreign investment.

For the energy sector, Shaibani told Blair that the Syrian government has partnered with Arab countries from the Gulf region to address issues of electricity.

The Financial Times further quoted him as saying that the government's immediate priority includes securing enough water, fuel, electricity and bread for a population that has been pushed to the edge of poverty due to war, sanctions and Assad's rule.

Shaibani said, "We don’t want to live off humanitarian aid, nor do we want countries to give us money as if they’re throwing the investment in the sea."

Left photo via WEF/YouTube, right photo by Lim Weixian/Motherhip