Rebuilding Syria: Syria’s Reconstruction, Challenges and Opportunities

Syria’s reconstruction needs are estimated at USD 216 billion, but rebuilding the country will require far more than financing. After fourteen years of conflict, restoring infrastructure, public services and economic activity depends on the institutions, policies and priorities that shape recovery.

In Syria’s Reconstruction: Challenges and Opportunities, The Syria Report examines the scale of destruction, the main actors involved in reconstruction, emerging government initiatives, and the legal and financial frameworks governing investment. Drawing on stakeholder interviews, official data and comparative research, the report assesses the obstacles facing recovery, including fragmented governance, limited funding, banking constraints, security risks, labour shortages, and unresolved housing, land and property rights.

The report also explores opportunities to restore productive capacity, create jobs, mobilise diaspora resources and address longstanding regional inequalities. Lessons from other post-conflict settings inform practical recommendations on national coordination, transparency, financial sector reform, infrastructure investment and local participation. Its central argument is that successful reconstruction requires an inclusive approach that connects physical rebuilding with institutional reform and the needs of Syria’s population.

This report was produced with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

You can read the report below or download it here.