Qatar pledges $29 Million grant to support Syrian public sector salaries
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Qatar will provide a $29 million financial grant over a period of three months—extendable—to help cover part of the public sector wage bill in Syria, Mohammed Yusr Barnieh, Minister of Finance in the Syrian transitional government, said on Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, Reuters reported that the United States has approved a Qatari initiative to fund salaries in Syria’s public sector, excluding the Ministries of Defense and Interior.
According to the report, three sources confirmed that the U.S. had given the green light for the initiative, offering a financial boost to Syria’s new government amid its reconstruction efforts.
In a statement to Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, Barnieh said the grant would be distributed to workers in the health, education, and social affairs sectors, as well as to non-military retirees.
He noted that the grant will cover approximately one-fifth of the country’s total salary expenditure and will be administered by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Barnieh emphasized that the initiative was granted a sanctions exemption and expressed gratitude to the U.S. Treasury Department for its swift approval. He expressed hope that the move would serve as a foundation for broader confidence-building steps and further sanctions relief.
Barnieh also stressed commitment to continuing financial reform to promote transparency and trust in the financial system.