ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US will issue a license to ease foreign investment in areas outside of regime control in northeast Syria without being sanctioned, it announced on Wednesday at the anti-ISIS coalition meeting in Marrakech.
Senior US diplomat Victoria Nuland, replacing Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who tested positive for COVID-19, made the announcement during her speech in the Moroccan city, aimed at assisting the areas formerly under the control of Islamic State (ISIS).
“The United States intends in the next few days to issue a general license to facilitate private economic investment activity in non-regime held areas liberated from ISIS in Syria,” Reuters cited Nuland as saying.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces fought against the terror group with the backing of the US, gaining control of territory in northeastern Syria, contested by the Syrian regime. The eastern province, which borders Iraq, is home to Syria’s largest oil reserves. A source told Reuters that the license will only apply to investment in agriculture and reconstruction, not oil.
Turkish-backed rebel groups are also present in parts of northeastern Syria, but are unlikely to oppose the license as this will also benefit areas under their control.
ISIS attempted to break thousands of its affiliates and members from Ghweran prison in the Kurdish-controlled Hasaka province in northeast Syria in January, marking the most significant offensive since the terror group’s so-called caliphate was defeated in Syria in 2019. The SDF regained control of the prison after days of intense fighting, and has repeatedly called on countries to repatriate their nationals held under arrest.
Nuland reinforced the US’ commitment to the “enduring defeat” of ISIS, highlighting the continued threat the terror group poses to the region. She stated that Washington sought to raise $350 million for northeastern Syria this year, adding that a similar amount was being pursued for Iraq, according to Reuters.
The US has previously issued general licenses for Syria, but were related to providing assistance to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than for improving the economic situation.
Harsh US sanctions are in place on the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, with the most recent being slammed through the Caesar Act in 2020. The US has also repeatedly claimed it will not normalize ties with the Assad regime, and has urged allies to do the same.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the host of the meeting, stated the coalition was seeking to raise $700 million for areas in Iraq and Syria previously held by ISIS, AFP reported.
The discussions covered "stabilisation efforts in areas previously impacted by Daesh", strategic communication against the group's "radicalisation propaganda" and the battle against foreign fighters, the Moroccan foreign ministry said, as quoted by AFP.
The meeting comes three years since the coalition fought alongside local forces to eradicate the “caliphate” ISIS had proclaimed in Iraq and Syria. Despite its setbacks in the Middle East, the group has been boosting its presence in West Africa and the Sahel region. Over 50 ministers from across the world, including Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, attended the meeting.
📌Joint press conference between MFA Nasser Bourita and the U.S. Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, Ms. Victoria Nuland, following the closing of the Ministerial Meeting of @coalition
— Moroccan Diplomacy 🇲🇦 (@Marocdiplo_EN) May 11, 2022
Here are the main messages⬇️ pic.twitter.com/fNIs5zlP0e
According to a statement released by the Global Coalition following Wednesday's meeting, ministers "affirmed that ensuring the enduring defeat of Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria remains the number one priority."
The statement affirmed that the coalition "will continue to provide support to the Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga, and local partners in Syria," and that civilian-led efforts are increasingly necessary to achieve the lasting defeat ISIS, stressing the importance of enhancing Iraq's civilian-led counterterrorism capabilities.
The 84-membered Global Coalition was formed in September of 2014 to fight ISIS. It was declared territorially defeated in 2017 and 2019 respectively but continues to launch hit-and-run activities.
