IMF Forecasts Syrian Economy to Grow by More Than 10% in 2026

Welat TV – Erbil

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects the Syrian economy to expand by more than 10% in 2026, with positive growth expected to continue into 2027, citing signs of recovery across several sectors and improving public revenues.

The forecast was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, by Ron van Rooden, head of the IMF mission to Syria, following a visit by an IMF delegation to Damascus from July 19 to 23.

According to the statement, the projected growth for 2026 comes despite continued regional challenges and is expected to be driven by a strong recovery in the agricultural sector due to improved rainfall, increased oil and gas production, better electricity supplies, continued expansion in the trade sector, and the growing number of Syrian refugees returning to the country.

The IMF also projected a significant increase in government revenues during 2026, supported by higher tax and customs receipts in the first half of the year, increased hydrocarbon revenues, and exceptional income sources, including telecommunications licensing fees and fuel transit charges.

On inflation, the Fund said it expects inflationary pressures to ease in 2027, provided import-price pressures continue to subside and sound fiscal and monetary policies remain in place.

Regarding monetary policy, the IMF said the Central Bank of Syria had successfully managed the rollout of the country's new currency. However, it noted that monetary policy continues to face major challenges due to the weakness of the banking sector, stressing that accelerating the rehabilitation of the financial sector is a key priority to strengthen financial intermediation and facilitate domestic and international payment transactions.

The IMF said these assessments were issued at the conclusion of its technical mission to Damascus as part of ongoing consultations aimed at monitoring economic developments and supporting Syria's economic recovery efforts.