Qatar commits $87 million to fund public sector salaries in Syria

Syria has announced that Qatar will provide an $87 million grant, divided over three months and subject to extension, to help cover around one-fifth of public sector salaries. The grant is exempt from international sanctions.

Finance Minister Mohammed Yosr Bernieh stated that the funds will be allocated to pay salaries for employees in the health, education, and social affairs sectors, as well as for non-military retirees.

He emphasised that Syria is continuing its financial reforms to strengthen transparency and public confidence in the financial system.

Bernieh also revealed that Damascus had obtained a “waiver” from US sanctions specifically for this grant, which will be managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

He explained that Syria hopes the move will lead to more measures intended to ease sanctions.

Earlier, Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources, that the United States had approved a Qatari initiative to fund salaries in Syria’s public sector, excluding the defence and interior ministries.

The agency noted that the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is expected to issue a letter confirming the grant is exempt from American sanctions.

READ: Saudi Arabia, Qatar to settle Syria’s outstanding arrears of around $15 million to World Bank