Syria will struggle more than Iraq with reconstruction

Significance

Iraq and Syria -- neighbours with many economic, political and social connections -- have both been subject to years of destructive armed conflict. They are now looking to reconstruct, but the different nature of their continued internal fragmentation and their contrasting external alliances mean their prospects are likely to differ.

Impacts

• The slow pace of reconstruction in certain areas of Iraq may feed into Sunni Arab resentments.
• Reconstruction work in Syria will be limited and concentrated on infrastructure.
• The numbers of Syrians who are refugees or internally displaced will remain extremely high.