Electrification: the first step towards Syrian revitalization Evaluation Note/ Feride İnan, Anıl İsmet Aşcı

More than a decade has passed since the onset of the Syrian conflict, resulting in one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent history. Over 50% of the nation's population, which was nearly 21 million before the conflict, has been displaced. Casualties, forced displacements, the destruction of infrastructure, and the disruption of economic connections have led to a collapse in industrial production and trade. In recent years, the economy has been further crippled by economic sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising commodity prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.

While the conflict continues to severely impact the well-being of Syrian individuals, political solutions have reached an impasse, and the current situation is unsustainable. Syria is in urgent need of an economic solution. Economic revival will also be crucial in facilitating the return of refugees to Syria. An important initial step in Syria’s economic recovery is to provide infrastructure support, beginning with the essential infrastructure needed to ensure the provision of electricity.

This concept note emphasizes the crucial need to revitalize the Syrian economy by focusing on the reconstruction of the country's electricity infrastructure. Between 2010 and 2022, the per capita daily electricity access decreased from an already low 4.3 kWh to 1.6 KwH. In Damascus city, the daily electricity supply averages 7.08 hours, whereas in rural Damascus, it can be as limited as 3.8 hours. In Aleppo and Idlib, the average daily hours of electricity supply stand at 11.1 hours, but this figure is significantly lower in rural areas within these provinces. The decline in agricultural productivity and the industrial sector's share in GDP may be indicative of a lack of access to electricity.

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