Technological sanctions on Syria, The silent disease

Introduction:

Many Syrians, especially those living outside Syria, may not be aware that the sanctions imposed by major companies like Google on Syria are part of the broader economic and political sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on Syria since the beginning of 2011. These sanctions include a ban on the export of technology and digital services to Syria, which impacts Syrians’ ability to access certain online services.

For example, Google has restricted access to some of its services and products in Syria, such as the Google Play Store, making it difficult for Syrian users to download or update apps. Additionally, services like Google AdSense and Google AdWords are not available to Syrian businesses, limiting their ability to advertise online.

Overview:

In addition to Google, many major companies have imposed sanctions on Syria as a result of the ongoing crisis since 2011. As mentioned earlier, these sanctions are part of the broader economic and political sanctions imposed by countries such as the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, and Switzerland.

Some of the major companies that imposed digital sanctions on Syria:

1. Microsoft: It restricted access to some of its services and products, such as cloud services and software updates.
2. Apple: It also banned the sale of its products and services in Syria, affecting users’ access to the App Store.
3. Intel: It halted the sale of its tech products to Syria, impacting the country’s technology sector.
4. Adobe: It also blocked access to its software and cloud services in Syria, affecting professionals in design and media production fields.

General Economic Impacts:

The economic sanctions imposed on Syria since 2011 have had significant and multifaceted effects on the Syrian economy. These impacts include:

1. Decline in GDP: Sanctions caused a significant decline in Syria’s GDP, leading to noticeable economic contraction.
2. Currency Depreciation: The sanctions led to a sharp devaluation of the Syrian pound, resulting in higher inflation rates and increased cost of living.
3. Decline in Foreign Direct Investment: The sanctions negatively affected economic growth and job opportunities.
4. Deterioration of Infrastructure: Sanctions impacted the Syrian government’s ability to import essential materials needed to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the war.
5. Worsening Humanitarian Crisis: They made it more difficult for humanitarian aid to reach those in need, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
   It is important to note that these economic effects complicate reconstruction efforts and intensify the suffering of the Syrian people.

Deep Impacts:

In addition to the general economic effects, there are profound impacts from the sanctions imposed by tech and digital companies. These impacts are multifaceted, affecting economic, social, and technological aspects, as follows:

1. Economic Impacts: These are represented by:
   • A. Restricting Access to Technology, where sanctions prevent Syrian companies from accessing the latest technologies and software, hindering innovation and development in various sectors.
   • B. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) particularly suffer from difficulty in accessing the technological tools necessary for growth and expansion.
   • C. Restricting Investments, as sanctions limit the ability of foreign companies to invest in Syria, reducing opportunities for economic growth and job creation.
2. Social Impacts, which manifest in two effects:
   • A. Effects on the Education Sector by restricting access to digital educational resources, such as online courses and educational software.
   • B. Sanctions hinder access to advanced medical technology, affecting the quality of healthcare provided to citizens.
3. Technological Impacts:
   • A. Restricting access to software and services, as tech companies like Google block access to their services and products, limiting individuals and businesses from using tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, and other essential digital business services.
   • B. Hindering the development of digital infrastructure in Syria, affecting internet speed and the quality of available digital services.
4. Impacts on Innovation and Development:
   • A. Restricting international collaboration, as sanctions prevent cooperation with international companies and institutions in research and development, limiting innovation and technological progress opportunities.
   • B. Impact on entrepreneurship, as sanctions make it difficult for Syrian entrepreneurs to access the tools and resources needed to develop their projects, hindering the growth of the entrepreneurship sector in the country.
5. Impacts on Daily Life, through the restriction of access to apps and digital services, as many are unavailable in Syria due to sanctions. This affects the daily lives of citizens who rely on these services for communication, work, and entertainment.

Practical Solutions:

Technological and digital sanctions impose significant challenges on Syria, requiring intensified efforts to overcome these obstacles by developing local solutions and enhancing cooperation with countries and companies not subject to these sanctions. It is also essential to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria after the fall of the corrupt regime, relying on several political and diplomatic factors that may influence this decision:

1. Political changes:
   • A. Forming a new government: If a new government is formed that enjoys international acceptance and adheres to human rights and democracy standards, this could lead to a reconsideration of the sanctions.
   • B. Internal reforms: Implementing political and economic reforms may encourage the international community to ease or lift the sanctions.
2. International negotiations:
   • A. Negotiations with Western countries, such as the United States and the European Union, could lead to their cancellation.
   • B. Cooperation with international organizations, primarily the United Nations and other international bodies, may help improve Syria’s image on the international stage.
3. Security and humanitarian situation:
   • A. Improving security conditions: The stabilization of the security situation in the country can be an important factor in lifting the sanctions.
   • B. Improving the humanitarian situation and providing aid to citizens can enhance the chances of lifting the sanctions.
4. International and local pressure:
   • A. Pressure from the international community, especially allied countries and international organizations, can contribute to the lifting of sanctions.
   • B. Local pressure, particularly from civil society, may push the new U.S. administration to work on lifting the sanctions.
5. Syria’s commitment to international agreements, particularly those related to human rights and disarmament, could be a condition for lifting the sanctions.
   Lifting sanctions, including technological and digital sanctions, is not a simple process. It is a significant and massive effort that requires substantial diplomatic and political efforts. It is important to have strong political will and real reforms to achieve this goal.

Conclusion:

After this narrative, which we hope provides a comprehensive overview of this quick study, we at the Economic Office of the Syrian Future Movement view digital sanctions as an obstacle to Syria’s recovery and reconstruction. Therefore, we conclude with recommendations that we have studied and discussed with some friends who are specialists in digital economy, macro and microeconomics, and international relations, leading to the following:

Recommendation 1: For the Transitional Government and the New Administration of Syria:

1. Enhance Transparency and Accountability: Develop a transparent system for managing public resources to ensure funds are used in ways that serve development and reconstruction. Additionally, establish strict and transparent oversight mechanisms to prevent funds from leaking to corrupt entities or those involved in human rights violations.
2. Implement Political and Economic Reforms: It is essential to adhere to human rights standards and avoid authoritarianism, alongside implementing legal reforms to promote justice and equality within Syrian society.
3. Cooperate with the International Community: Particularly, strengthen cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations to provide technical and financial support for reconstruction, in addition to rebuilding trust with countries that imposed sanctions through dialogue and negotiations.

Recommendation 2: For Syrian Elites:

1. Support the Transitional Government: Provide technical and advisory support in areas of governance, economy, and politics, as well as enhance the role of civil society in monitoring the implementation of reforms and ensuring transparency.
2. Promote National Unity: Foster cooperation among different groups and sects to ensure the stability of the country, and support national reconciliation efforts to rebuild Syria’s social fabric.
3. Engage with the International Community: Build strong relations with countries and international organizations to support efforts to lift sanctions. Provide regular reports on progress in implementing reforms to boost international trust.

Recommendation 3: For the International Community:

1. Support the Transitional Government: Consider Syria’s stability as a goal of international support for global stability by providing technical and financial assistance to the government to implement reforms and reconstruction. Link aid to progress in implementing political and economic reforms.
2. Gradual Lifting of Sanctions: Ease sanctions progressively based on progress in implementing reforms. Maintain individual sanctions targeting those responsible for human rights violations to ensure accountability.
3. Strengthen International Cooperation: Work with the new Syrian government in areas of development, technology, and education, and support reconstruction efforts through technical and financial aid.
   These recommendations aim to create an environment conducive to lifting digital and technological sanctions on Syria, which will contribute to improving the country’s economic, social, and technological situation after the fall of the current regime.

Economic Office
Research Team
Research and Studies Department
Studies
Syrian Future Movement

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