READOUT: Treasury Co-hosts Syrian Banking Roundtable

NEW YORK - On Thursday, October 1, Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes Jonathan Burke co-hosted an in-person banking roundtable with Syrian Minister of Finance Yisr Barnieh and the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria Safwat Raslan in New York, with virtual remarks from the U.S. Presidential Envoy to Syria, Ambassador Tom Barrack. During a full day of discussions, representatives from U.S. financial institutions and payment service providers gained greater insight into the current anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) landscape in Syria. Participants were briefed on key gaps identified by an independent third-party, and the Government of Syria’s ongoing work to address those gaps. In light of President Trump’s historic decision to lift virtually all sanctions on Syria, Assistant Secretary Burke stressed that financial connectivity is essential to effectively combating illicit finance and supporting Syria’s reintegration into the global financial system.