Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud announced on Saturday that the kingdom, in coordination with Qatar, will provide joint financial support to cover the salaries of state employees in Syria.
Speaking at a press conference alongside his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shibani in Damascus, Prince Faisal confirmed the initiative but did not disclose the total value of the assistance. A joint statement issued later by Saudi Arabia and Qatar specified that the support would be delivered over a three-month period.
This move builds on an earlier contribution in April by both Gulf nations to settle Syria’s outstanding arrears of approximately $15 million to the World Bank.
The Saudi minister’s trip comes just weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement lifting sanctions on Syria’s Islamist-led government, which came to power in December after ousting former President Bashar al-Assad. Trump said the decision was made during his recent Middle East visit and was influenced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose government had pushed for the change.
The European Union has also recently lifted economic sanctions on Syria.
Prince Faisal emphasized Saudi Arabia’s key role in advocating for the removal of economic restrictions on Damascus. He reaffirmed that the kingdom remains committed to supporting Syria’s reconstruction and long-term economic recovery.
He noted that he was accompanied by a high-level economic delegation from Riyadh to “hold talks (with the Syrian side) to bolster aspects of cooperation in various fields.” Follow-up visits by Saudi business leaders are expected in the coming days to explore investment opportunities in sectors including energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and more.
Following the ousting of Assad by Ahmed al-Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the new Syrian leadership has accelerated efforts to normalize relations with both Arab neighbors and Western powers. Damascus is hoping that easing sanctions and regional reintegration will attract much-needed investment to rebuild the country after years of conflict.
President Sharaa is scheduled to visit Kuwait on Sunday following an official invitation from Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA. The visit—his first to Kuwait in an official capacity—will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation across political and economic domains.
