The Canadian government on Wednesday announced plans to ease sanctions on Syria during what it called a period of transition.
Many Western nations, including Canada, had put a range of sanctions against Syria under its ousted President Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled late last year by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
The Canadian government issued a statement announcing the steps that it said displayed Ottawa’s “commitment to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people and to support a transition to an inclusive and peaceful future.”
The Canadian government said it is providing $84 million in new funding for humanitarian assistance to Syria.
“Canada is also taking steps to ease existing sanctions for a period of six months, to support democratization, stabilization, and the delivery of aid to and within Syria during this period of transition,” the Canadian government said in its statement.
Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon, Stefanie McCollum, was nominated to serve concurrently as non-resident ambassador to Syria, Ottawa added.
Canada added it was issuing a general permit, valid for a period of six months, that allows Canadians to carry out financial transactions and services, which are otherwise prohibited, as part of supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Syria.
It said it will be easing sanctions to allow funds to be sent through certain banks in the country, such as Syria’s Central Bank.
Syria’s new rulers are Islamists who had links to extremist group al-Qaeda until their leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, cut ties in 2016.
Pressure has been growing on Syria’s Islamist-led government to investigate reports by witnesses and a war monitor of the killing of hundreds of civilians in villages where the majority of the population are members of Assad’s Alawite sect.
The UN is urging Syria’s interim leaders to protect civilians amid fighting between security forces and those who remain loyal to ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Former army personnel allied to Assad have been carrying out co-ordinated attacks and ambushes since Thursday.
