AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Officers from Jordan, Syria and the U.S. on Tuesday mentioned methods of supporting war-torn Syria’s reconstruction on the premise of enhancing safety after lethal clashes final month.
The assembly in Amman between the overseas ministers of Jordan and Syria and U.S. particular envoy Tom Barrack got here after talks had been held by the identical sides on July 18. These discussions targeted on a ceasefire that ended days of clashes between pro-government gunmen and fighters from the nation’s Druze minority in Sweida province that borders Jordan, leaving a whole lot of individuals lifeless.
Along with the safety challenges that Syria nonetheless faces for the reason that fall of Bashar Assad’s authorities in December, the nation faces main financial and social challenges. In 2017, the United Nations estimated that it will price at the very least $250 billion to rebuild Syria after years of civil struggle. Some consultants now say that quantity may attain at the very least $400 billion.
Over the previous few months, a number of international locations, together with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others pledged investments price billions of {dollars} to rebuild Syria’s infrastructure.
In neighboring Iraq, Syrian Power Minister Mohammed al-Bashir mentioned with Iraqi counterpart Hayan abdel-Ghani the potential of reactivating an oil pipeline between the oil-rich northern Iraqi metropolis of Kirkuk and Syria’s coastal city of Baniyas, which is house to one of many nation’s two oil refineries.
Syrian state information company SANA quoted al-Bashir as saying that Syria imports 3 million barrels of oil a month along with its personal manufacturing to cowl native consumption.
Abdel-Ghani mentioned that the 2 international locations can research whether or not it’s doable to reactivate the oil pipeline that suffered large injury throughout wars in each international locations or construct a brand new one, based on SANA.
Earlier than the struggle broke out in 2011, the oil sector was a pillar of Syria’s financial system, with the nation producing about 380,000 barrels a day, and exports — largely to Europe — bringing in additional than $3 billion in 2010. Since then, the sector has suffered broadly.
