Damascus, Syria — Syria’s post-civil war reconstruction could cost up to $216 billion, the World Bank said in a report on Tuesday that follows over 13 years of conflict in the country.
Reconstruction is one of the most significant challenges facing Syria’s new authorities after the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.
“Syria’s reconstruction costs are estimated at $216 billion after more than thirteen years of conflict,” the World Bank said in its latest report, which it said assessed “infrastructure and building assets, covering the period from 2011 to 2024”.
The Syrian civil war, which erupted in 2011 with Assad’s brutal repression of anti-government protests, killed over half a million people and devastated the country’s infrastructure.
“The conflict has damaged nearly one-third of Syria’s pre-conflict gross capital stock, with direct physical damages to infrastructure, residential buildings, and non-residential buildings estimated at $108 billion,” the report said.
Among the categories assessed, infrastructure was the hardest hit, accounting for 48 percent of total damage, equivalent to $52 billion.
The report estimates costs of physical assets to range between $140 billion and $345 billion, “with a conservative best estimate” of $216 billion.
Aleppo province and the Damascus countryside, major rebel strongholds subjected to heavy bombardment during the early years of the war, bore the brunt of the most of the destruction.
“The challenges ahead are immense, but the World Bank stands ready to work alongside the Syrian people and the international community to support recovery and reconstruction,” said Jean-Christophe Carret, World Bank Middle East division director.
The World Bank estimates reconstruction costs to be ten times greater than Syria’s projected 2024 GDP.
Since Assad’s fall, Syria’s new authorities have worked to attract investment for reconstruction.
They have signed agreements with several companies and governments, including Gulf countries.
Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh said the report “provides a critical baseline of the massive scale of the destruction and of the reconstruction costs ahead”.
“Now, more than ever, it is imperative for the international community to mobilize support and partnership to help Syria restore essential infrastructure, revitalize communities, and lay the foundation for a more resilient future for its people,” he added.
