BRUSSELS, Belgium, Feb 25, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The European Union on Monday eased sanctions on Syria's energy, transport and banking sectors in a bid to help the country's reconstruction after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's new leaders have been clamouring for the West to ease sanctions imposed on Assad's regime during the civil war.

But Europe and other powers have been reluctant to move before clear signals from the new Islamist-led rulers in Damascus that they are serious on having an inclusive transition.

The step approved at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels includes suspending sanctions on the energy and transport sectors, as well as allowing transfers to five banks and making funds available to Syria's central bank.

"The EU aims to facilitate engagement with Syria, its people, and businesses, in key areas of energy and transport, as well as to facilitate financial and banking transactions associated with such sectors and those needed for humanitarian and reconstruction purposes," the bloc said.

Officials say the measures could be reimposed if Syria's new leaders break promises to respect the rights of minorities and move towards democracy.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said the country's new authorities welcomed the decision.

"We... see this as a step toward alleviating the suffering of our people," he said in a post on X, calling the sanctions that date to deposed president Assad's era "unjust".

Much of Syria's infrastructure was destroyed and the economy ravaged by years of international isolation after Assad's 2011 crackdown on opposition sparked the civil war.

The United Nations said last week that at current growth rates, Syria would need more than 50 years to get back to its economic level before the outbreak of its devastating civil war.

The EU and other international powers are jostling for influence in Syria after the ouster of Assad, who was backed by Russia and Iran.

The sanctions being lifted do not include those on Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.