Published: TUESDAY November 11, 2025: 'Beyond The Fall: Post-War Syria' by ZUMA Press photographer in Syria Juan Carlos: Over a decade of war and crushing international sanctions have decimated Syria's economy and recovery is extremely slow and fraught with challenges. While the government seeks investment and has seen renewed diplomatic engagement, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Syrian transition, is marking several firsts with his visit to the United States. For the first time in nearly 60 years, Syria's President addressed the annual UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Yet the country still faces severe economic hardship, with 90 percent of the population in poverty, relying on humanitarian aid. Rebuilding infrastructure is a monumental task and social issues like a lack of access to education and healthcare for millions of children, as well as high levels of food insecurity, persist. Syrian reconstruction has been estimated to cost 216 billion according to the World Bank. Welcome to 'Beyond The Fall: Post-War Syria'
© zReportage.com Issue #1013 Story of the Week: Published: TUESDAY November 11, 2025: 'Beyond The Fall: Post-War Syria' by ZUMA Press photographer in Syria Juan Carlos: Over a decade of war and crushing international sanctions have decimated Syria's economy and recovery is extremely slow and fraught with challenges. While the government seeks investment and has seen renewed diplomatic engagement, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Syrian transition, is marking several firsts with his visit to the United States. For the first time in nearly 60 years, Syria's President addressed the annual UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Yet the country still faces severe economic hardship, with 90 percent of the population in poverty, relying on humanitarian aid. Rebuilding infrastructure is a monumental task and social issues like a lack of access to education and healthcare for millions of children, as well as high levels of food insecurity, persist. Syrian reconstruction has been estimated to cost 216 billion according to the World Bank. Welcome to 'Beyond The Fall: Post-War Syria'

An armed Syrian policeman stands near one of the last murals of former Dictator Bashar Al-Assad on a street of Damascus. Assad's regime was a dictatorship that governed Syria as a totalitarian police state. It committed systemic human rights violations and war crimes.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Syrian families enjoy a night at a amusement park in Homs, as the country continues its transition since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

A local man walks past a destroyed building in Maaloula. Reconstruction has been estimated to cost 216 billion USD according to the World Bank. The country continues its transition since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Portraits of the current leader of Syria Ahmed Al-Shaara next to former Dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein displayed on the rear window of a car in Homs. The country's economic, social and cultural future still is uncertain as the new leader Al-Shaara continues to improve the post war country's political relations and security.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

A minaret rises behind empty building's in Homs old city which is an historical area of Aleppo that was heavily damaged during the civil war.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

A motorcyclist rides through the historical city of Aleppo which was heavily damaged, the area saw some of the most deadly fighting during the war. The country's economic, social and cultural future still is uncertain as the new leader Ahmed Al-Shaara continues to improve political stability as well as security.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

View of the historical city of Aleppo which was heavily attacked and severely damaged the area saw some of the most deadly fighting during the war. Syrian reconstruction it has been estimated to cost 216 billion USD according to the World Bank.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Darayya in the outskirts of Damascus was heavily attacked and has severely damaged infrastructure, many lives were lost here during the civil war. Syrian reconstruction it has been estimated to cost 216 billion USD according to the World Bank.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Commuters on motorcycles ride between cars on the streets of the capital city of Damascus. The country political, economic, social and cultural future still is uncertain as the new leader Ahmed Al-Shaara continues to improve foreign relations and national political stability as well as security.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Residents enjoy open spaces in Homs old city which is an historical area of Aleppo that was heavily damaged during the war. The country continues its transition since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Traffic fills the streets in capital city Damascus as the country continues its transition since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. The Syrian pound has lost more than 99 percent of its value since war erupted in 2011, with the exchange rate now at around 10,000 Syrian pounds to the US dollar.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

People withdraw Syrian Pounds from ATMs at a bank in capital city Damascus. Syrians can withdraw daily limited amounts of money per day. The Syrian pound has lost more than 99 percent of its value since war erupted in 2011, with the exchange rate now at around 10,000 Syrian pounds to the US dollar. In December 2025 a new currency will be introduced in order to fight inflation and improve the economy.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Money exchange business with stacks of Syrian Pound currency, the 2,000 bill has the face of former Dictator Bashar Assad. The Syrian pound has lost more than 99 percent of its value since war erupted in 2011, with the exchange rate now at around 10,000 Syrian pounds to the US dollar. In December 2025 a new currency will be introduced in order to fight inflation and improve the economy.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Cars fill up at a gas station in Damascus, as the country continues its transition since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. According to the World Bank, GDP has contracted by more than 50 percent since 2010.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

A woman walks piles of rubble in Homs old city, a historical area of Aleppo that was heavily attacked and severely damaged during the war. Syrian reconstruction it has been estimated to cost 216 billion USD according to the World Bank.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Daily life in capital city Damascus as the country continues its transition since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Syria’s economy has endured nearly a decade and a half of devastation from civil war. According to the World Bank, GDP has contracted by more than 50% since 2010.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

Heavy machinery including a volvo excavator in Darayya on the outskirts of Damascus. The area was heavily attacked and severely damaged during the war. Syria's economy has endured nearly a decade and a half of devastation from civil war. According to the World Bank, GDP has contracted by more than 50 percent since 2010, and extreme poverty affects one in four Syrians.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press

A man walks down a busy street between traffic in the capital city Damascus: Assad's regime was a dictatorship that governed Syria as a totalitarian police state. It committed systemic human rights violations and war crimes, making it one of the most repressive regimes in modern times.
© Juan Carlos/ZUMA Press