Syria's economy minister met with the Middle East director of the World Bank to discuss resuming cooperation with the lender, which was suspended after the civil war broke out in 2011. The minister proposed the establishment of a joint committee to evaluate a new start and highlighted the need for financing in the energy, agriculture, industry, and infrastructure sectors. Syria has been urging the international community to drop sanctions imposed on the former government, and the European Union recently eased sanctions on certain sectors to aid in the country's reconstruction.