Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh said Thursday that a joint Saudi-Qatari grant will be used primarily to support wages and salaries in the country’s social sectors, as part of efforts to stabilize the state budget.
Speaking to SANA, Barnieh thanked Saudi Arabia and Qatar for their “generous” $29 million monthly grant, which will run for three months. He said the assistance sends “a clear message” of support for Syria’s economic and financial reform efforts and reflects the growing strategic ties between the three countries.
“This initiative aligns with the Syrian government’s efforts to advance financial and economic reforms, strengthen stability, and promote comprehensive economic and social recovery,” Barnieh said.
He added that Syria looks forward to further cooperation with both the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) to finance future development projects.
The grant agreement was signed earlier this week by QFFD, SFD, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at UNDP headquarters in New York, in the presence of Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
