Syria and the World Bank Group agreed to establish a multi-donor trust fund to support the country’s economic recovery and reconstruction. The initiative aims to attract investment and encourage private-sector financing to advance sustainable development.
,Known as START, the Syria Recovery and Reconstruction Trust Fund will provide concessional financing, investment guarantees, technical assistance and capacity-building support. The details were confirmed in a statement released by Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
,The World Bank estimated in October 2025 that rebuilding Syria after its nearly 14-year civil war will cost $216 billion. Damage to infrastructure, residential buildings and non-residential structures makes up the bulk of these reconstruction needs.
,This figure is nearly 10 times the country’s projected 2024 gross domestic product. The scale shows the financing and international coordination required for the national recovery.
,The World Bank will administer the fund in coordination with donors, development institutions and partners in Syria, according to the official statement. Operations will align with priorities set by the Syrian state.
,The fund will help mobilise international support and coordinate assistance and financing. It will also work to accelerate economic recovery, reconstruction and institutional reforms.
,Finance Minister Mohammad Yisr Barnieh said the agreement marks a new phase of cooperation with international partners. He noted it would help direct resources efficiently toward recovery and reconstruction priorities.
,He reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to integrity, transparency, accountability and good governance, stating these principles would strengthen international partners’ confidence and support sustainable development outcomes for Syrians.
,Qutaiba Kadish, director of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, said the agreement followed extensive coordination. He said the fund would operate under a clear governance framework to build confidence among partners and donors.
,The fund’s goals, governance structure and planned operating mechanisms were discussed during a high-level roundtable on Syria’s recovery. The meeting took place alongside the 2026 annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Bangkok, Thailand.
,Development partners from the Arab region, the European Union, the United States, financial institutions and development agencies voiced support for the initiative and expressed readiness to contribute to the fund.
,The International Monetary Fund expects Syria to record double-digit economic growth in 2026. Strong development is projected to continue into 2027, supported by improvements in agriculture, hydrocarbon production, electricity supply, trade and services.
