Companies once tied to Assad kept winning UN contracts under Syria’s new rulers

The United Nations paid $10 million in 2025 to companies previously linked to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime after his removal from power in December 2024. Companies like Shorouk and ProGuard, which had ties to Assad’s government, received significant UN contracts, with Shorouk linked to a sanctioned intelligence branch and ProGuard owned by a businessman sanctioned by the EU and UK.