IMF Mission Projects Double‑Digit Growth for Syria’s Economy

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation led by Ron van Rooden visited Damascus from July 19‑23 to assess Syria’s economic conditions, reform progress and policy priorities, and to discuss a new technical assistance programme. The IMF said that agriculture, hydrocarbon output, electricity supply, trade and services are improving, aided by returning refugees, rising visitor numbers and public‑sector spending. It forecasts double‑digit growth for 2026 and strong growth in 2027, while noting that poverty remains widespread and growth is uneven across regions. The Fund called for continued sound fiscal and monetary policies, stronger public‑finance management, banking sector reforms, enhanced anti‑money‑laundering and terrorism‑financing measures, better economic statistics and uninterrupted international support. Van Rooden highlighted that after the 2025 regime change, consumer and investor confidence have risen, about 1.5 million refugees are returning, and Syria is gradually reintegrating into regional and global markets. Inflation is expected to fall to low double‑digit levels in 2025 before rising again in 2026 due to import‑price pressures and strong domestic demand.