Syrian Finance Minister: Saudi-Qatari grant worth 87 million dollars to support salaries in social sectors
The Syrian Finance Minister, Mohammad Yaser Barnieh, revealed that the grant provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar, amounting to 29 million dollars per month for three months, will be primarily directed to support the wage and salary item in the social sectors.
This was stated in a statement to the "SANA" agency, where Barnieh expressed "gratitude and appreciation to our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar for the generous joint grant to support the wage and salary bill".
The minister indicated that this grant represents "a clear and expressive message from our brothers in Saudi Arabia and Qatar showing their support for our country Syria and their backing for the ongoing economic and financial reform efforts", considering it "an expression of the growing strategic relations and partnership between Syria and both Qatar and Saudi Arabia".
Barnieh explained that "this initiative comes in line with the efforts of the Syrian government aimed at enhancing the path of financial and economic reforms and establishing the foundations of stability and comprehensive economic and social recovery, serving the interests of the Syrian people and enhancing their ability to face current challenges".
He also expressed his country's "aspiration for more cooperation in the coming days with both the Qatar Development Fund and the Saudi Development Fund, to contribute to financing development projects in Syria".
It is noteworthy that the signing of the Saudi-Qatari initiative took place the day before yesterday at the headquarters of the United Nations Development Program in New York, in the presence of the Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Qabawat, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The agreement was signed by both the Qatar Development Fund and the Saudi Development Fund on one side, and the United Nations Development Program on the other side.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar announced on May 31st that they would provide joint financial support to public sector workers in Syria for three months. The Qatari government also provided a financial grant at the end of May amounting to 29 million US dollars per month for three months, extendable, designated to cover the salaries of workers in the health, education, and social affairs sectors, as well as non-military retirees, managed by the United Nations Development Program.
