World

Amid severe economic crisis, Assad reshuffles Syria’s cabinet

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview with Turkey's Halk TV in Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on October 4, 2013. Assad has told Turkey it will pay a heavy price for backing rebels fighting to oust him, accusing it of harbouring "terrorists" along its border who would soon turn against their hosts. In an interview with Turkey's Halk TV due to be broadcast later on Friday, Assad called Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan "bigoted" and said Ankara was allowing terrorists to cross into Syria to attack the army and Syrian civilians. REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Syrian President Bashar Assad replaced several Cabinet ministers on Wednesday amid a sharp increase in prices and worsening economic conditions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, state media reported.
SANA reported that Assad replaced the ministers of oil, internal trade, industry and social affairs and labour. The news agency did not give a reason for the government reshuffle, but it comes amid harsh public criticism over rising prices and food shortages during Ramadan, when observant Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk.
Syria’s economy hit its lowest point this year since the start of the conflict in 2011, with spiraling inflation, a currency plunge and sharp increase in food prices. It’s the result of years of war, Western sanctions, widespread corruption and a three-year economic meltdown in neighbouring Lebanon.
After a February 6, earthquake hit Turkey and Syria and killed more than 50,000 people, Damascus’ ties with some Arab countries improved somewhat with aid from around the region flowing into the war-torn country.
Syria hopes that an improvement of relations with oil-rich Arab gulf nations, that once supported the Syrian armed opposition, will help ease the economic crisis.
Last week, state Saudi television reported that the kingdom is in talks with Syria to reopen its embassy in the war-torn nation for the first time in a decade. Other gulf nations including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain reopened their embassies in Damascus in recent years.

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