Damascus, July 27 (SANA) Syria’s Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh met with a delegation from the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the SIGMA Programme to discuss technical assistance for the country’s public financial management reform agenda.
According to the Finance Ministry, Barnieh outlined the government’s priorities for financial reform, including modernizing public financial management, overhauling the tax system, improving public debt management and strengthening governance to build more efficient state financial institutions. The talks also covered Syria’s efforts to combat financial crime.
The European delegation presented its technical assistance programs for Syria, while SIGMA officials outlined support available to government institutions in areas including public administration reform, governance and institutional capacity building.
Barnieh welcomed a proposal to establish a technical support and knowledge center in Syria, saying it would help government institutions benefit from European expertise.
The two sides identified priority areas for future technical cooperation and agreed to coordinate through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop a joint action plan supporting Syria’s public financial management reforms in line with international best practices.
The meeting comes amid growing engagement between Syria and the European Union, particularly in the economic sphere, following the EU’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria and expand cooperation in the financial and investment sectors.
kA.ABD
