The Caesar Act, which imposes sanctions on Syria, will be extended until 2029 [Getty]
The Caesar Act for the protection of civilians in Syria, which was approved by US Congress to be extended until 2029 has effectively ceased to be in force since 15 December last year, pending US President Joe Biden’s signature for the defence authorisation bill in the new year.
However, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, discussions are underway over taking steps to suspend the act.
If the decision to suspend the act happens, it would likely occur after Biden signs the defence authorisation bill, as the president and the Treasury Department have the authority to halt the act’s enforcement for a specific period.
Extension of Caesar Act
On 12 December, the US House of Representatives approved the National Defence Authorisation Act, which includes the extension of the Caesar Act’s sanctions until 2029. The Senate approved the bill last week.
Farouk Bilal, president of the Syrian American Council, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the council, along with several other groups, had begun meeting with US officials in the Biden administration and members of Congress over a year ago to push for the extension of the Caesar Act.
He added that approvals were secured just days before the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, allowing sanctions to be extended for at least another five years.
But after the Assad regime’s sudden collapse, the council attempted to have the act repealed but failed due to time constraints, leading to the act’s extension last Wednesday.
Bilal further explained that the Caesar Act officially ceased to be in effect on 15 December but is expected to be reactivated at the start of 2025.
“We were in constant discussions with the opposition in Syria to extend the act. After the regime’s fall, we sought to halt its extension but failed due to the lack of time,” he said.
Biden is now expected to sign the National Defence Authorisation Act in the coming days. The act encompasses a wide range of defence policies and expenditures, which will reactivate and maintain the Caesar Act sanctions under the next administration, which in turn means the continuation of economic sanctions affecting Syrian policy.
The Caesar sanctions also apply across Syrian business sectors and to any national dealing with Syria or with Russian and Iranian entities in Syria.
In recent days, Syrian-American groups, led by the Syrian American Council, have held meetings with members of Congress to try to remove the Caesar Act provision from the US defence funding bill, arguing that the political situation has changed following the regime’s collapse.
Yet, the lack of time ultimately thwarted efforts to delete the sanctions’ clause.
The Assad regime was ousted from power on 8 December following an 11-day rebel offensive, which caught the ruling clan off guard.
Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has called for the lifting of all sanctions on Syria to allow for rebuilding the country.
Earlier this month, two US congressmen urged senior US officials to suspend some sanctions on Syria to ease pressure on its shattered economy.
The move is the latest effort in by Western governments to push for easing sanctions after rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), swept into Damascus.
