Sanctions on Syria: a look back, a way forward

Sanctions on Syria: a look back, a way forward

Author: The National News April 9, 2025 Duration: 23:38
For more than a decade, Syria has been under international sanctions aimed at pressuring Bashar Al Assad’s regime. But there is a longer history of sanctions on the country and the broader Middle East. Sanctions can be used as a nudge – or shove – from government to government, usually during times of war. But their impact continues into periods of relative peace, trickling from the highest ranks of the ruling class down to the labourers and families that make up the backbone of a country’s economy. We have seen sanctions ravage Syria’s economy on and off since the 1970s, and hold throughout 14 years of civil war. But following the fall of Mr Assad in December 2024, Syria has a new government, a new head of state and a caretaker cabinet that has promised to rebuild. In this episode of Business Extra, we are looking at sanctions on Syria, the complexities of these measures and how the country’s economy might evolve after they are lifted.

Tune into Business Extra for a clear-eyed look at the forces shaping commerce in the Middle East and beyond. Produced by The National News, this podcast moves past the headlines to deliver substantive conversations with the analysts, executives, and innovators driving change. Each episode leans on the deep regional expertise of our editors and reporters, who translate complex developments in markets, energy, and technology into accessible insights. You’ll hear grounded discussions that connect local trends to global patterns, offering a necessary perspective on one of the planet's most dynamic economic landscapes. Whether it's a shift in oil policy, a tech startup's rise, or a new trade agreement, this series provides the context often missing from daily news cycles. For anyone with a stake in understanding how business really works in this pivotal region, Business Extra is an essential listen, blending authoritative journalism with genuine curiosity. The result is a consistently informative podcast that feels less like a briefing and more like a series of insightful conversations with people who have their finger on the pulse.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Business Extra
Podcast Episodes
Inside the UAE job market: What you need to know about hiring in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:57
In this live Q&A session, Business Extra host Salim Essaid explores what the UAE Salary Guide 2026 reveals about the job market. He is joined by Viacheslav Shakhov, managing partner at Cooper Fitch, to discuss hiring tre…
How Adnoc Distribution is scaling profits and sustainability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:54
This episode was produced in partnership with Adnoc Group In this special episode of Business Extra, host Khaled Abuljebain speaks to Ali Siddiqi, chief financial officer of Adnoc Distribution. Mr Siddiqi shares how the…
Behind the Bitcoin drop: Are we entering a new era for crypto? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:00
Bitcoin lost over $18,000 in November, triggering one of the sharpest monthly declines since 2021. With nearly $3 billion in forced liquidations, headlines declared a crash. But is that the whole story? In this episode o…
What you need to do to retire comfortably in the UAE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:23
Millions of people move to the UAE for higher incomes, but after working hard for years and even decades, they face the big question: "How much do I need to retire comfortably?" Living costs are rising and foreign reside…
Inside the UAE’s SME strategy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:10
In this episode of Business Extra, Abdulla bin Touq, Minister of Economy and Tourism, joins host Salim Essaid to discuss how the country is positioning itself as the global capital for start-ups and small and medium ente…
How Adnoc L&S became a global logistics power [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:25
This episode was produced in partnership with the Adnoc Group Capt Abdulkareem Al Masabi, chief executive of Adnoc Logistics & Services, joins this episode of Business Extra to explore the rise of the UAE’s largest integ…
Why more wealth is leaving the UK and landing in the UAE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:35
A quiet transformation is reshaping the global wealth map. High net-worth individuals are moving their assets from the UK to the UAE. The Revolut co-founder Nikolai Stronsky's recent change of tax residency from the UK t…
TikTok's new owners and what is at stake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
As TikTok faces a high-stakes restructuring to divest from its Chinese ownership, a new deal is emerging. Major US players including Oracle and Silver Lake are in the mix, along with MGX, a UAE-based company that could b…