The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) has partnered with the Bank of Syria and Overseas (BSO) to expand access to patient and subsidised debt financing for startups and small and growing businesses across Syria.
The agreement, signed in Damascus, will be delivered through Accelerate Prosperity, an initiative of AKF and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. The partners will co-design financing solutions for businesses that complete the initiative’s investment-readiness process.
Eligible entrepreneurs are expected to access the financing from October 2026, with support aimed at helping businesses grow, create jobs, drive innovation and strengthen resilience.
Accelerate Prosperity expanded to Syria earlier this year after supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses across Central and South Asia since 2016. The new partnership builds on a pilot conducted over the past two years and will focus particularly on creating opportunities for young people and women.
The initiative forms part of the Aga Khan Development Network’s wider work in Syria, where it is implementing projects valued at more than €100 million during 2026 and 2027, according to the announcement.
Source: Aga Khan Foundation
