Talks on Public Finance
Syria's Finance Ministry said on 2 July 2026 that it is working with a mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to build a medium-term framework for public finances that would guide the government's budget planning. The disclosure came after a budget committee meeting chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Yasir Barniyyah.
Officials described the cooperation as technical, focused on the tools and methods used to plan spending and revenue rather than on any single decision announced at the meeting.
Pound Under Pressure
The engagement comes as the Syrian pound (SYP) has weakened. The currency traded near 13,000 to the US dollar (USD) on 2 July 2026, down about 4.4 percent over the previous week and roughly 6.6 percent over the past month.
Rebuilding the institutions that plan and forecast the budget is one of the levers authorities can use to steady expectations around the currency over the longer term.
Forecasting the Budget
The ministry said the work includes developing macroeconomic forecasting tools and preparing financial projections for the economy as a whole. That analysis is intended to feed directly into the 2027 state budget and the budgets of the years that follow.
Tax and Customs
Several state bodies are taking part, including the authorities responsible for borders and customs and for taxes and fees, alongside the international cooperation department of the foreign ministry. At an earlier meeting on 12 June 2026, the finance minister had discussed deepening technical cooperation on modernizing tax and customs administration.
What Was Not Announced
The ministry framed the effort as aimed at supporting economic and financial stability and sustainable development. No loan, funding figure, or binding agreement was announced, and the cooperation was presented as continuing work rather than a finished deal.