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Saudi Arabia and Qatar Clear Syria’s World Bank Debt, Unlocking Reconstruction Funding

The $15 million payment ends a 14-year suspension of World Bank support, paving the way for critical sector development in post-conflict Syria.

A view of a destroyed building, after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Jobar, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, January 3, 2025. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra/File Photo

Overview

  • Saudi Arabia and Qatar have formally pledged to pay Syria’s $15 million arrears to the World Bank, as announced in a joint statement on April 27, 2025.
  • The payment enables the World Bank to resume grants and operational support in Syria, marking the end of a 14-year hiatus triggered by the 2011 conflict.
  • Syria’s Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude, emphasizing the opportunity for cooperation on recovery and reconstruction efforts in the war-torn nation.
  • This is the first known Gulf financial support for Syria since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, reflecting shifting regional alliances.
  • The move coincides with recent Western easing of sanctions, which had previously restricted international funding for Syria’s estimated $400 billion reconstruction needs.