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Joe Biden invites private investment in Syrian areas not under Daesh and Assad control

The Arabnews reported, US President Joe Biden has said private entrepreneurs will be permitted to re-invest in areas of Syria that have been liberated from Daesh or are outside the Assad regime’s control.
Ethan Goldrich, deputy assistant secretary of state for Syria and the Levant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, said the program focuses on northeast and northwest Syria, and compliments $110 million in US funding earmarked for stabilization and undermining “violent extremism.”
The authorization encourages private business to invest in 12 economic sectors in an area of Syria protected by the US or under Kurdish or Turkish control.
The authorization excludes oil, most of which is controlled by Kurdish governing agencies in the northeast.
Today, the United States advanced the enduring defeat of ISIS. Syria General License 22 will promote economic stability in certain areas of non-regime held Syria critical to preventing a resurgence of ISIS while maintaining sanctions against Assad. https://t.co/eWiv0bqiCw
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) May 13, 2022
Goldrich said: “Our aim with this is to prevent the resurgence of Daesh by mitigating growing economic and security (concerns), and restoring essential services in areas liberated from the terrorist group."
“The general license is designed to improve the economic conditions in non-regime-held areas of northeast and northwest Syria in support of ongoing US-led Daesh stabilization efforts. The authorization does not permit any activity with the government of Syria or other sanctioned persons, and does not alter existing counterterrorism sanctions.”
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He said that stabilization efforts include “restoring essential services” and “bolstering livelihood opportunities to help Syrians return to normal life.”
He mentioned that the private-sector investment can also provide support for returning Syrian refugees. Services include agriculture, telecommunications, health services and education.
Goldrich said the expansion of the program supports the humanitarian efforts led by the US and other nations to bring relief and freedom to the people of Syria.
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He added during a teleconference on Friday hosted by the US State Department: “International donor funds are stretched thin. Without economic stability, these areas are vulnerable to exploitation by terrorist groups, especially Daesh.
“Private sector investment in these areas will help reduce the likelihood of Daesh’s resurgence by combating the desperate conditions that enable the terrorist group’s recruitment and support networks,” he said. “US sanctions are aimed at the regime and people around the regime, and not at people who are in areas that are not even under the regime’s control.”
The new policy “does not waive sanctions” on the Assad regime, and continues to prohibit all transactions with it.
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Goldrich said: “We also continue to oppose reconstruction directed by or for the Assad regime, which would only serve the regime’s narrow interests and not the Syrian people."
“It’s not a political step, it’s an economic step and a stabilization step to help improve conditions for people living in these non-regime areas and make it easier for them to find jobs and livelihoods, bringing more income into the areas which would not have come in just through humanitarian or stabilization assistance. It opens up other private-sector money into the areas that would benefit them.”
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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