https://arab.news/b58yx
Six months after the fall of the Assad regime, and weeks after the formal lifting of US sanctions, there is now an open door for a potential economic and social revival that could reshape Syria’s future. But the path ahead remains fraught with challenges, competing interests and proxy battles — and the question of how Syria rebuilds, and which stakeholders lead that process, is more urgent than ever.
At the heart of Syria’s recovery is its youth — more than half of the population is under 25, a generation defined by years of conflict and deprivation but also incredible resilience. Traditional employment opportunities have collapsed, pushing many young Syrians to seek alternative livelihoods. Entrepreneurship has become not only a means of survival but a vital response to soaring unemployment and widespread poverty.
The entrepreneurial spirit among Syrians is unmistakable. In a survey conducted in 2024 by Ahmad Sufian Bayram, a general partner at Blackbox and advocate for entrepreneurship in conflict zones, more than 80 percent of Syrians described entrepreneurship as “extremely important.” This is a dramatic rise from just 26 percent in 2015. However, only 3 to 5 percent are actively involved in starting or running businesses — a participation rate well below international norms and one that highlights an enormous gap between ambition and opportunity.
