Syria’s new government has moved to remove Russian control from its Tartus seaport and ended a decade of reliance on Moscow for banknote printing. State television reported that the Syrian Arab Ports Authority has terminated its 2019 agreement with Russia on port management and signed a memorandum with DP World of the United Arab Emirates. DP World will help develop special economic zones, terminals and transit hubs across Syria, bolstering Tartus as a key hub for regional and international trade.
In January, Damascus unilaterally cancelled the 49‑year management deal with Russia, a rare rebuke of the Kremlin’s influence since the Russian dictator backed Bashar al‑Assad during Syria’s civil war. The port move follows growing tensions over the fate of the ousted dictator. During a recent Russian delegation visit, Syrian officials demanded the extradition of Assad to face trial, a demand Russia warned must not hinder bilateral relations. Syrian defence minister Murhaf Abu Kasra has since made clear that continued Russian military bases in Syria will depend on Damascus’s interests.
On 16 May Reuters revealed that Syria plans to print a freshly designed currency in Germany and the UAE, ending more than a decade of printing by Russian presses. With sanctions easing, the central bank and finance ministry have held talks with the UAE‑based Oumolat and German firms Bundesdruckerei and Giesecke + Devrient. Syrian officials hope this shift will signal deeper ties with Arab and Western partners and reduce economic dependence on Moscow. Russia’s tenure as Syria’s principal banknote printer effectively ends this year, marking a significant turning point in Syria’s foreign policy and economic posture.
