UNDP to provide $1.3 billion in assistance to Syria over 3 years
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Abdallah al-Dardari announced on Saturday that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) plans to provide $1.3 billion in assistance to Syria over the next three years.
The aid will target key sectors including infrastructure reconstruction and support for digital startups, aiming to stimulate sustainable economic development and job creation.
During a recent visit to Damascus, al-Dardari emphasized the urgent need to launch Syria’s economic recovery process without waiting for the lifting of Western sanctions imposed during the era of the former regime.
“Lifting sanctions is certainly something we must work toward,” he said, “but at the same time, we need to begin the economic recovery process even under the current sanctions.”
He stressed that the first phase of recovery must involve tangible improvements that citizens can see and feel—“quick wins,” as he called them—such as building health clinics, opening barbershops, or launching local sports centers.
The U.N. official estimated the cost of rebuilding damaged housing across Syria to be in the tens of billions of dollars. In light of declining international development funding—especially following the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency—al-Dardari stressed the importance of developing new and effective financing mechanisms.
“New tools are essential,” he said, “to enable Syrians to return to and rebuild their homes.”