Bassel Abdel Aziz, Minister of Economy of the Syrian transitional government, on Dec. 18, in his office in Damascus. (Credit: Emmanuel Haddad/OLJ)
Bassel Abdel Aziz sits in an opulently decorated office that seems to contrast sharply with his straightforward style. The ornate wooden stucco walls and ceiling are at odds with the simple and direct demeanor of the Syrian Minister of Economy from the transitional government formed by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on Dec. 10, two days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Behind the man's jovial eyes lies a realist who aims to replace the 'corrupt and monopolistic mafia' of the former regime with a market economy that respects Islamic law. For an hour, he spoke to L'OLJ about his major projects in Idlib, the corruption of the Assad regime, and the challenges related to sanctions and reconstruction.Before becoming the Minister of Economy for all of Syria, you held this position for four years within the HTS Salvation Government in...
Bassel Abdel Aziz sits in an opulently decorated office that seems to contrast sharply with his straightforward style. The ornate wooden stucco walls and ceiling are at odds with the simple and direct demeanor of the Syrian Minister of Economy from the transitional government formed by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on Dec. 10, two days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Behind the man's jovial eyes lies a realist who aims to replace the 'corrupt and monopolistic mafia' of the former regime with a market economy that respects Islamic law. For an hour, he spoke to L'OLJ about his major projects in Idlib, the corruption of the Assad regime, and the challenges related to sanctions and reconstruction.Before becoming the Minister of Economy for all of Syria, you held this position for four years within the HTS Salvation Government in...