Saudi Arabia signs $403 million in development loans to support Syria's recovery
The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed six concessional development loan agreements worth more than $403 million with Syria to support the rehabilitation of essential infrastructure, restore public services and improve living conditions in communities affected by years of conflict.
The agreements were signed in Riyadh on November 5, under the directives of Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Crown Prince and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. SFD CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad and Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yusr Barniyeh signed the agreements on behalf of their respective institutions.
The financing covers six development areas, including electricity, water, civil defence, housing, healthcare and government digital services.
Funding for electricity, water and emergency services
A $90 million loan will finance the rehabilitation of generating units at the Aleppo Thermal Power Plant. The project is expected to help restore reliable electricity supplies for approximately five million people and support economic activity.
Another $30 million will fund the installation of 300,000 smart water meters, aimed at improving the efficiency of water services for around 1.5 million people.
The largest allocation, $105 million, will support the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of 25 civil defence centres. The project is expected to strengthen emergency response and disaster management capabilities for more than seven million people.
Housing and healthcare projects
The agreements include $60 million for the rehabilitation of up to 10,000 damaged homes, with the aim of improving living conditions and supporting community stability.
A further $100 million will go towards rehabilitating, constructing and equipping hospitals and health centres to restore essential healthcare services and expand access to medical care.
The remaining $18 million will support digital transformation and institutional development at Syria's Ministry of Finance. The initiative is intended to improve the efficiency and transparency of government financial services.
Saudi support for Syria
The SFD said the six projects are intended to help restore essential services, strengthen community resilience and support sustainable development across Syria.
The latest financing builds on Saudi Arabia's previous assistance to the country, including two grants provided through the SFD in September 2025. Those grants supported the supply of crude oil and covered part of public-sector employees' salaries for three months.
