Syria faces a $400 billion challenge to rebuild after Assad's fall, live in the UK.

This is the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service.

I'm Leanna Byrne. Good morning.

We're going to begin in Syria and the enormous challenge it faces in rebuilding the economy.

After years of conflict, cafes, markets and bakeries are beginning

to reopen, but the question remains what sort of country will emerge following the overthrow

of President Assad's government. To get a sense of the scale of the task ahead, let's hear from

Arif Al-Kras, a Syrian researcher from Aleppo now based in Italy.

Rebuilding Syria will take decades.

Assad have left Syria in a crippled economy status.

I wish the sanction will be lifted since now regime is gone because it's going to affect the economy so badly.

That was Arif Al-Krez.

Estimates suggest Syria will need at least $400 billion, likely much more,

to begin rebuilding its shattered economy.

So where will that money come from?

Here's Robert Ford, the former U.S. ambassador to Syria.

The good news is they don't need the $400 billion or whatever the figure is right

away. I mean, it's over a period of time. They will get some funding from organizations like

the World Bank, probably currency and trade balance support from the IMF. Then they would also seek funding from different Arab Gulf states

and Arab Gulf financial institutions, Kuwait, for example, has a large economic assistance fund.

They'll look to the European Union. They'll look to the British.

They'll look to the Americans. They'll look to the Canadians. It's going to be hard. I cannot

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