France Returns €50 Million Seized from Assad's Uncle to Syria

During his visit to Syria, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Paris will return more than 50 million euros to the country, which were appropriated by the family of former leader Bashar al-Assad. During a historic visit to Damascus, the first by a European Union (EU) head of state since al-Assad's overthrow at the end of 2024, the two countries signed several agreements aimed at development and reconstruction after more than a decade of civil war. One of them concerns the return of funds that France confiscated from the uncle of the overthrown leader, Rifaat al-Assad. Macron stated at a joint press conference with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa that "more than 50 million euros obtained from the confiscation of assets illegally acquired by the former dictator's family will be returned to the Syrian people to finance specific development projects on the country's territory."