Arab Ministers Finalize Gaza Reconstruction Plan Ahead of Cairo Summit

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attends a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (unssen) at the Al Tahrir palace to discuss details of the Gaza reconstruction plan, ahead of emergency Arab summit organized by Egypt this week, in Cairo, Egypt March 3, 2025. (Reuters)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attends a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (unssen) at the Al Tahrir palace to discuss details of the Gaza reconstruction plan, ahead of emergency Arab summit organized by Egypt this week, in Cairo, Egypt March 3, 2025. (Reuters)
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Arab Ministers Finalize Gaza Reconstruction Plan Ahead of Cairo Summit

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attends a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (unssen) at the Al Tahrir palace to discuss details of the Gaza reconstruction plan, ahead of emergency Arab summit organized by Egypt this week, in Cairo, Egypt March 3, 2025. (Reuters)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attends a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (unssen) at the Al Tahrir palace to discuss details of the Gaza reconstruction plan, ahead of emergency Arab summit organized by Egypt this week, in Cairo, Egypt March 3, 2025. (Reuters)

Arab foreign ministers held on Monday a preparatory meeting in Cairo to finalize an “Arab plan” for Gaza’s reconstruction without displacing its Palestinian population.

The plan for Gaza, drawn up by Egypt, would be presented to Arab leaders at Tuesday's extraordinary Arab League summit as a counter to US President Donald Trump’s plan to “take over” the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” while forcing its Palestinian residents to relocate to Egypt and Jordan.

Arab foreign ministers met behind closed doors in Cairo ahead of the extraordinary Arab League summit, which is expected to come out with one Arab position against the displacement of Palestinians, while adopting a plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

Egypt’s plan would sideline Hamas and replace it with interim bodies controlled by Arab, Muslim and Western states, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

The Egyptian vision for Gaza does not specify whether the proposal would be implemented before or after any permanent peace deal to end the war triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

Cairo's plan does not tackle critical issues such as who will foot the bill for Gaza's reconstruction or outline any specific details around how Gaza would be governed, nor how an armed group as powerful as Hamas would be pushed aside.

Under the Egyptian plan, a Governance Assistance Mission would replace the Hamas-run government in Gaza for an unspecified interim period and would be responsible for humanitarian aid and for kick-starting reconstruction of the enclave, which has been devastated by the war.

Last Saturday, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty said his country will train the Palestinian Police forces to be deployed in Gaza as part of the reconstruction plan.

Furthermore, Abdelatty highlighted Egypt's alignment with the Palestinian Authority on security and governance arrangements in Gaza.

Bilateral meetings

Abdelatty held bilateral meetings with a number of his Arab counterparts ahead of the Cairo summit.

He discussed with Palestinian Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa preparations for the summit, which will tackle the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip, efforts to consolidate the ceasefire agreement and underscoring the resolute Arab stance towards the Palestinian issue.

Abdelatty also met with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi.

They categorically rejected the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland and stressed the importance of regional and international solidarity to ensure the implementation of all stages of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza as a first step towards setting a clear political path aimed at reaching a radical and final settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state according to relevant international agreements and resolutions.

He also held separate meetings with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Yemeni FM Shaya Zindani, Tunisian FM Mohamed Ali Nafti and Mauritanian FM Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani arrived in Cairo on Monday to participate in the ministerial-level preparatory session.

Algeria and Tunisia’s presidents will not take part in the summit. Instead, the two countries will be represented by their foreign ministers.



Syria’s Finance Minister Says Foreign Investors Welcome after US Sanctions Move

A girl holds a Syrian flag, as people celebrate after US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in Damascus, Syria May 13 , 2025. (Reuters)
A girl holds a Syrian flag, as people celebrate after US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in Damascus, Syria May 13 , 2025. (Reuters)
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Syria’s Finance Minister Says Foreign Investors Welcome after US Sanctions Move

A girl holds a Syrian flag, as people celebrate after US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in Damascus, Syria May 13 , 2025. (Reuters)
A girl holds a Syrian flag, as people celebrate after US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in Damascus, Syria May 13 , 2025. (Reuters)

Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh made a call to global investors on Wednesday to come do business with Syria after US President Donald Trump's surprise announcement that he would lift all of Washington's sanctions on the country.

"Syria today is a land of opportunities, with immense potential across every sector—from agriculture to oil, tourism, infrastructure, and transportation,” Barnieh said in an interview with Reuters at the Finance Ministry in Damascus.

"We envision a central role for the private sector in the new Syrian economy. The finance ministry's role is not to spend indiscriminately or act as a regulatory enforcer over businesses, but rather to enable and support growth."

A wall outside his office still bore the discolored outline of one of the many posters of former strongman Bashar al-Assad that used to hang in Syria's public buildings before his ousting by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) last year.

Changes in Syria have been swift since Assad fled to Russia in December of last year.

HTS commander Ahmed Sharaa was appointed president, formed a government and had quick success garnering Gulf Arab support and getting most European sanctions lifted.

The stunning turn of events was capped by a meeting between Sharaa and Trump in Riyadh on Wednesday after Trump's pledge to cease US sanctions imposed on Syria under Assad-family rule, measures widely seen as the biggest external obstacles to the country's economic recovery.

Trump has not set out a timeline for removal.

"One of the most critical outcomes of lifting sanctions would be Syria's reintegration into the global financial system," Barnieh said.

"This would allow us to restore financial flows and attract investments, which are urgently needed across all sectors,” he said, adding that Syrian authorities have already seen strong interest from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and several EU countries, among others.

He noted that the government is undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of public financial management, including reforms to the tax system, customs, and banking -- part of a broader effort to modernize an economy long burdened by an oversized public sector.

He also struck a cautioning tone, saying that the removal of sanctions would be just the first step in a years-long recovery for a country ruined by 14 years of war.

"The lifting of sanctions is not the final chapter," he said.

"We cannot afford to become complacent. We are entering a new phase that demands real results and visible progress on the ground."