Speaking at Davos, Syrian FM has high hopes for economic recovery

Syria's new foreign minister said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos that his country hopes it can follow in the footsteps of economic powerhouses like Singapore and Saudi Arabia as it begins rebuilding after nearly 14 years of war.

“We need the help of the international community to help us in this new experiment,” Asaad al-Shibani said.

He also pledged that Syria's government and constitution will be representative of all of the country's communities.

Western nations, although they have moved to restore ties with Damascus since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown by a lightning insurgent offensive last month, are still somewhat circumspect about the new rulers, led by the Islamist former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

“All the time they ask us about the how to guarantee the rights of (this or) that group and how to guarantee the rights of the woman — in Syria all of us will be under the Constitution and under the rule of law,” al-Shibani said.

The committee of experts formed to draft a new constitution — a process that could take years — will comprise all “the different groups of Syria” including women, he said.