BBC: Syria is changing its legislation in order to attract its large number of expatriates back to the country, bringing their skills and capital with them.
President Bashar Assad himself lived in the UK for many years before coming to power in 2000 after the death of his father.
Measures include economic incentives and exemptions from military service. The latter was one of the main reasons expatriates would not even come back to the country to visit their families.
Baha Issa, in his 30s, lived for more than 15 years in the UK and Dubai. He has now left his job as a communications officer for Microsoft to work at the newly established Sham Holding company in Syria.
"I am very excited to come back. In a developed country you have slowly to climb the career ladder, but here you are part of a team that is taking the country to a different level," he says.
It is a message the government - which estimates that 15 million Syrians are living abroad, compared with 20 million at home - is keen to promote. Syria Welcomes Expatriates Home >>> | May 28, 2008
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – USA)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardcover – USA)
