Saudi Arabia

The labour market is undergoing a profound transformation as millions worldwide move away from traditional payroll jobs toward flexible, independent work enabled by digital platforms. This shift has accelerated the growth of the gig economy, which is reshaping employment patterns, stimulating entrepreneurship, and driving innovation. At the same time, it raises new challenges related to income volatility, worker protections, and regulatory oversight.   The term “gig,” once used by musicians to describe short-term performances, now refers to a wide range of freelance, contract, or temporary jobs that prioritize flexibility over permanence. Today’s gig economy is powered by digital platforms that link workers with clients, including ride-hailing services, delivery apps, freelance marketplaces, and online teaching platforms. While this model provides economic benefits such as greater productivity, adaptability, and entrepreneurial opportunities, it also exposes workers to risks concerning rights, job security, and fair treatment. Achieving a balance between innovation and equitable protections remains key.   In the Middle East, the gig economy is expanding rapidly, fuelled by a young, digitally skilled population, unemployment pressures, and government-led diversification strategies. By 2024, the region contributed more than 7% of the global gig market, with freelancing, delivery services, and digital platforms becoming central to local economies. Policymakers are responding through freelance visas, skills programmes, and targeted regulations; countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are aligning gig work with ambitious visions of transformation, while Egypt demonstrates both the sector’s strong growth and the persistent challenges of informality and regulation. While the gig economy has thrived in the Middle East, its full potential can only be realized through a new generation of governmental reforms that go beyond just supporting growth and actively build a stable and protected freelance workforce.

The United States started putting sanctions on Syria as early as 1979, mostly because Syria was labelled as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST). The first designation was based on Syria's military occupation of Lebanon and its support for groups like Hezbollah that the government paid for. This early policy took a harsh and threatening stance against a government that was seen as hostile and supportive of non-state actors that were seen as a threat to U.S. interests.   After the Syrian conflict started in 2011, the U.S. greatly increased its sanctions against the Assad government. The goal of these more extensive measures was to stop the Syrian government from using violence against its people and to encourage political changes that could get to the bottom of the conflict. This was a big change from only focussing on counter-terrorism to a wider agenda that included human rights and changing the behaviour of the regime, with some elements of coercive diplomacy.   The end of Bashar al-Assad's rule in early December 2024 marks a major change in Syria's politics. This event changed the main goal of the long-standing U.S. sanctions, which were mostly aimed at the now-deposed government.   In May 2025, during a trip to Saudi Arabia, U.S. President Donald Trump made a big announcement: he would lift sanctions on Syria. He said this would "give them a chance at greatness." Many people see this announcement as a "historic development" that has "major potential to improve living conditions" and "support the Syrian political transition." The goal is to make the area more stable and improve Syria's economic prospects after years of being held back by harsh international sanctions. This paper looks at the United States' sanctions against Syria in depth, putting the recent change in policy in the context of its history and the law.