This presentation looks at the issues facing Syria. The presentation will cover the current and future state of Syria.

1. Syria – Crisis
and Solutions
Paul Young CPA, CGA
April 6, 2017

2. Agenda
• Syria GDP
• Syria Civil War / Natural Gas Pipeline
• Democracy/Syria
• Iran and Syria
• UN Aid to Syria
• Donald Trump / Syria

3. Overview
• Geopolitical issues are becoming very important for business as they
look to make investments around the world
• It is very important to understand the issues facing foreign countries as
part of doing business in foreign countries.

4. Syria GDP – Current State
• Syria’s “gross domestic product (GDP) stood at $60.2 billion in 2010. As
of 2016, it was at $27.2 billion at 2010 prices, representing a contraction
of 50%,” said Dahi, an associate professor at Hampshire College in the
United States.
• “If a realistic growth rate is taken into account, total economic losses
shoot up to a staggering 430% or more of GDP at 2010 prices,” Dahi
added. “This would put Syria among the outliers in terms of post- World
War II civil conflicts in terms of GDP losses.”
Arab Weekly – March 26, 2017

5. What is fueling the Civil War in Syria
Turkey knowing Syria was a critical
piece in its energy strategy, Turkey
attempted to persuade Syrian
President Bashar Assad to reform this
Iranian pipeline and to work with the
proposed Qatar-Turkey pipeline,
which would ultimately satisfy Turkey
and the Gulf Arab nations’ quest for
dominance over gas supplies. But after
Assad refused Turkey’s proposal,
Turkey and its allies became the major
architects of Syria’s “civil war.”

6. Did Democracy have a role in Syria Civil War
• The trouble began in 2011 in the Syrian city of Deraa.
• It began because local people decided to protest after 15 schoolchildren were
arrested - and reportedly tortured - for writing anti-government graffiti on a
wall.
• When the war first began, the protesters just wanted democracy and greater
freedom.
• But once government forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrations, people
demanded that President Bashar al-Assad resign. However, he refused to do
this which made the protesters extremely angry.
• As the violence got worse, he offered to change some things about the way the
country was run, but the protesters didn't believe him.
BBC – April 5, 2017

7. Iran and Syria
• Iran is in the process of putting together agreements, including economic
agreements, with Syria to strengthen its hold, its ports and naval bases there,”
he said.
• He added: “There is a need for Russia and other powers to work to avoid the
threat that Iran ends up with military, air and naval bases in Syria.
Times of Israel – March 30, 2017

8. UN Aid/Syria
• Forty-one donors today pledged a combined $6 billion for critical
humanitarian programmes in 2017 and another $3.7 billion for 2018 for
the people of Syria reeling under a devastating conflict since 2011 at a
United Nations-supported conference in the Belgian capital, Brussels.
Canada has provided close to $1B aid -
UN News Service – April 5, 2017
Debate Post – April 5, 2017

9. Donald Trump / Syria
• CNN – April 6, 2017
Russia has challenged President Donald Trump to set out his strategy on Syria after he
declared that an apparent chemical weapons attack had transformed his views on the
regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Trump, who has previously argued against removing Assad from power, said
Wednesday's attack on a rebel-held town in Syria's Idlib province was a "heinous" act
that "crossed a lot of lines for me."

12. Summary
• Too many countries got involved with either ousting Assad or
supporting Assad
• Syria is made up with many religious sects. The Shia religion being the
strongest
• Syria has port access to Mediterranean Sea
• Oil and Natural Gas are key exports as such Syria provides good access
to world market
• Kurds want their own land in areas like Turkey and Syria
• Eliminating a leader can make things worst.