UN official: "UNDP intends to provide assistance to Syria worth $1.3 billion."

Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Abdullah Al-Dardari, said today, Saturday, that "the United Nations Development Program intends to provide aid to Syria worth 1.3 billion dollars over three years to support sectors such as rebuilding infrastructure and supporting digital startups." Al-Dardari added: "Investing in Syria is seen as a global public good." He continued: "The aid may include introducing artificial intelligence, setting up social protection programs, and rebuilding infrastructure." Al-Dardari also emphasized the need to raise funds from various sources such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and also from countries in the region such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey. He considered the upcoming meeting between Saudi Arabia and the World Bank regarding Syria as "sending an important message to the rest of the world and the Syrian people alike," and that "Saudi Arabia's settlement of Syria's arrears with the World Bank is of utmost importance and allows for supporting Syria through the international development institution." Earlier today, Al-Dardari revealed that the United Nations Development Program has obtained approval from the U.S. Treasury Department to exempt it from sanctions, enabling it to raise 50 million dollars to finance the repair of the Deir Ali power station south of the capital Damascus, as part of international efforts to improve Syria's infrastructure.