H.E. Mohamed Yisr Barnieh has served as Syria’s Minister of Finance since March 2025. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Damascus University and pursued graduate studies in economics at the University of Kansas, University of Washington, and Oklahoma State University. Barnieh began his career at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York before joining the Arab Monetary Fund, where he rose to Director of Economic Policy. He played a key role in establishing the Syrian Commission on Financial Markets and the Damascus Securities Exchange. As Minister, Barnieh focuses on fiscal reform, digitizing government transactions, and restructuring public debt to stabilize Syria’s economy. His priorities include transparency, public-private partnerships, and modernizing financial institutions to support reconstruction and attract foreign investment.