Syrian Power Brokers: Beyond the Official Channels
THE ACTORS: Informal Envoys and State Power The primary actors are Hazem al-Sharaa and Maher al-Sharaa, brothers to Bashar al-Sharaa, the Syrian Foreign Minister. Hazem is reportedly involved in economic development and Gulf state relations, while Maher focuses on diplomacy with Russia. This arrangement creates a parallel diplomatic and economic track, augmenting or circumventing the official
government channels. The article notes the sidelining of a third brother, Nizar al-Sharaa, who previously held a senior security position, illustrating the fluid nature of these informal power dynamics even within the same kinship network. THE FUNDING: Reconstruction and Foreign Capital The article implicitly highlights the quest for foreign capital for Syria's reconstruction. Hazem al-Sharaa's
engagement with Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, points to efforts to attract investment. Syria's post-conflict reconstruction needs have been estimated to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars (World Bank, 2017). The involvement of non-state actors in these negotiations allows for greater flexibility and opacity in these financial flows, potentially bypassing international sanctions
regimes that restrict direct state-to-state transactions. Russia’s involvement, through individuals like Maher al-Sharaa, is driven by its geopolitical and economic interests in solidifying its influence and securing lucrative reconstruction contracts. THE INCENTIVES: Continuity of Control and Economic Survival For the Syrian government, the incentive is multi-fold: to diversify its international