Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad paid a visit to Iran Feb. 25 — his first such trip since the outbreak of the Syria conflict. In Tehran, Assad was promised help with Syria's recovery that Damascus itself estimates will cost an astronomical $250-400 billion.

However, Damascus' blueprint for reconstruction is important. In mid-2017, Damascus produced an ambitious strategy for rebuilding the country, allegedly pre-approved in April by the Central Committee of the Al-Baath Arab Socialist Party. It focuses on economic and social recovery in the face of Western sanctions, giving the green light to companies and businesses from friendly countries to conduct commercial and investment projects, branding reconstruction as a prize for participants with long-term profits and promoting a “destroyer pays” formula, particularly to the Gulf states as sponsors of the main opposition groups.

The Syrian authorities used the annual Damascus International Fair, a respected forum in prewar times that took place in 2017 for the first time in five years, as an opportunity to demonstrate a "quick restart" for Syria. The Syrian leadership also took a series of steps to improve legal and institutional frameworks so as to attract foreign investors and press the local private sector to take a more active reconstruction role. A 2016 law permits partnerships between the government and private companies for the rebuilding of Syria's industries and infrastructure, except in the oil and gas sector, under a council established and chaired by the prime minister.​

Local consultants for the government have outlined several priorities for 2018-2022: construction of electricity plants, solar panels, electrical towers and wind turbines; transportation of energy; investment in railways and improvement of airports; construction of dry freight logistics centers and ports; and production of electrical micro-components and basalt fiber. There has been a growing demand for practical adaptation of public-private partnerships under direct governmental guarantees that are particularly required in the electricity sector.