Hadi Fathallah is an economist and policy adviser at NAMEA Group; a fellow of the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs; and a member of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. The designations and data employed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the expression of the author or NAMEA Group concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or political solution to the Syrian crisis. Follow him on Twitter @Hadi_FAO.