November 2000

Syria Update Memo

The following report outlines new developments in the past three months and the state of on-going developments.

No change has taken place regarding alternative networks in Syria. All important sectors such as telecommunications, electricity, water, television, and railways are still state-owned, and public institutions, each in its domain of expertise, have monopoly over their services. Furthermore, the new government has stressed that the existing public sector establishments will be strengthened and given the means to improve their services with no intention to privatise them.

Some public and semi-public companies, such as the oil and electricity companies, have the potential to become telecommunications operators if the regulations are modified. But the declared intention of the government to strengthen the public establishments and to keep their sectoral public monopolies slashes all hopes for a liberalisation or even creation of competition in the telecommunication services market in the near future.