Trump will sign executive order to terminate Syria sanctions, White House says

WASHINGTON (AFP)

President Donald Trump on Monday will formally dismantle US sanctions against Syria, hoping to reintegrate the country into the global economy.

Trump lifted most sanctions against Syria in May, responding to appeals from Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

In an executive order to be signed later Monday, Trump will end a "national emergency" in place since 2004 that imposed sweeping sanctions on Syria, affecting most state-run institutions including the central bank.

"This is in an effort to promote and support the country's path to stability and peace," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

She said the United States will still maintain sanctions on elements of the former government including Bashar Al Assad.

Syria recently carried out its first electronic transfer through the international banking system since around the time it descended into a civil war in 2011.