The new leaders of Syria have appointed Maysaa Sabrine as the interim head of the Central Bank of Syria, marking the first time a woman has held this position in the bank’s 70-year history. Sabrine, who has been in the banking sector for over 15 years, has served as the deputy chairperson since 2018.
She replaces Mohammed Issam Hazime, appointed by Assad in 2021. Sabrine is the second woman to secure a position in the new regime, following Aisha al-Dibs, who was appointed as head of the Women’s Affairs Office last week.
Al-Dibs faced criticism for comments on women’s rights, suggesting women should not go beyond their natural priorities, which she defined as raising children. The new Syrian foreign minister attempted to quell the controversy by affirming the government’s commitment to women’s rights on X. Syria’s economy has been struggling since the civil war began in 2011.
According to HTS, the militia that overthrew Assad’s regime, the state treasury is reportedly empty. While the bank is said to hold nearly 26 tons of gold, foreign currency reserves have reportedly dropped from $18 billion before the war to $200 million.
The Syrian pound has devalued significantly, with the exchange rate rising from 50 Syrian pounds per US dollar in 2011 to between 12,000 and 15,000 pounds now. Since taking power, HTS has implemented economic liberalization measures, including removing state approval requirements for the import and export of goods.
Source: NOS