Trump lifted sanctions at Saudi crown prince’s request; Riyadh and Doha join forces to support Damascus’ public sector
DAMASCUS:
Saudi Arabia will work with Qatar to provide financial assistance for the salaries of Syrian government employees, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud announced Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference in Damascus alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Bin Farhan confirmed, “The kingdom will jointly support the salaries of state employees in Syria with Qatar.” However, he did not specify the amount or duration of the aid package.
The initiative follows similar financial commitments made by Qatar to support Syria’s public sector.
Bin Farhan’s trip to Damascus comes weeks after the United States unexpectedly lifted sanctions on Syria’s government. The decision was reportedly made during former US President Donald Trump’s recent Middle East visit and was prompted by a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a key advocate for ending the sanctions.
The European Union has also lifted economic sanctions on Syria.
Bin Farhan highlighted Saudi Arabia’s central role in advocating for Syria’s economic reintegration, saying Riyadh remains committed to backing Syria’s reconstruction and economic revival efforts.
Accompanied by a high-level economic delegation, the Saudi foreign minister said he planned to hold talks with Syrian officials to deepen cooperation across sectors. In the coming days, Saudi businessmen will travel to Syria to explore potential investments in areas such as energy, agriculture, and infrastructure, he added.
Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by Ahmed al-Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian leadership has been seeking to rebuild diplomatic and economic ties with Arab and Western countries.
Damascus hopes the influx of Gulf aid and investment, following the easing of economic restrictions, will help it recover from years of devastating conflict.
Meanwhile, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to visit Kuwait on Sunday at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah. According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, the visit will focus on boosting cooperation in economic and political spheres.
