Asma Al-Assad's Influence on Foreign Aid in Syria

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Asma Al-Assad exerts her control in Syria through the NGO sector. She has had incredible influence upon how foreign aid money trickles into the country and where it gets distributed. The regime forces international NGOs to partner with the Syria Trust for Development, which she founded in 2007. Riah Jalibi: It's almost hypocritical for the British government not to have revoked her citizenship given her alleged complicity in a lot of the regime's activities.

China’s financial sector is reeling from a series of new corruption probes and the FT’s Middle East correspondent, Raya Jalabi, explains how Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad gained so much power and influence.

Mentioned in this podcast:

China’s financial sector rocked by expansion of anti-corruption drive

Syria’s state capture: the rising influence of Mrs Assad

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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