Syria's New Reconstruction Fund a Chance for Reform

Syria and the World Bank Group announced on October 18 the creation of the Syria Recovery and Reconstruction Trust Fund, known as START. Run by the World Bank, the fund will pool donor money and private investment to help restore infrastructure and public services, strengthen state institutions, and finance reforms the Syrian government identifies as priorities.

The World Bank estimates Syria's post-conflict reconstruction will cost about US$216 billion.

Norway pledged approximately 90 million krone ($9.6 million) and the Netherlands €15 million ($16.8 million). START's initial focus, according to Syria's state news agency, SANA, is infrastructure, health and education. It will operate under World Bank policies, which include standards on stakeholder engagement, land acquisition, and grievance mechanisms. But those standards only cover START-funded projects and governance arrangements are still being finalized, according to SANA.

The moment offers a chance to strengthen protections for Syria's wider reconstruction, beyond START's projects. Current rules governing reconstruction do not require consultation with affected communities, including tenants, informal occupants, and displaced people before projects are approved, and there is no specialized mechanism for reconstruction disputes.

The consequences of policies that are implemented without consulting those most affected are already evident: In March, local authorities in Damascus proposed giving foreign companies land in Jobar and Qaboun in exchange for financing and building a reconstruction project. Owners of homes in zoned areas would get new units half the size of their old ones. Owners of land in informal settlements would get only 30 percent of their land. And the plan made no provision for tenants.

The World Bank and START's donors should make a rights-aligned framework for housing, land, and property a priority among the reforms the fund supports, including an independent property dispute mechanism. They should require human rights impact assessments before funding projects with unresolved property claims. They should prioritize restoring services where people are returning. And any support for private health or education providers should carry enforceable requirements on affordability, quality, and nondiscrimination.

Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh says the priority now is "tangible results for the Syrian people." The real test is whether those people have a say in decisions about their land and whether they can enjoy their rights to health, education, and housing.