Photo: Khalil Ashawi / Reuters
Russia will spend €850 million for the reconstruction of Syria
In the first place will restore the oil sector and the electricity sector
Prime Minister of Syria Wael al-Haliki announced that his country and Russia signed an agreement on the reconstruction of infrastructure in war-ravaged state. Total volume of announced investments amounted to €850 million, the Main task for the first time will be the restoration of the electrical network and the country’s oil industry.
“The Russian side responded to the idea of restoring the infrastructure, and therefore signed a number of deals with the Russian side, among them the agreement in the amount of €600 million and €250 million”, said Wael al— Haliki in an interview to “RIA Novosti”.
To restore Syria asks Russia, China and Iran
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in late March that the country’s recovery will rely on the help of Russian, Chinese and Iranian companies, and the transition period the country will be held under the current Constitution. According to him, the damage inflicted on the country by the war, amounted to more than $200 billion. Mr al-Assad called for the preservation of Russian military presence in the country — the armed forces, according to the President of Syria, “effective in the fight against terrorism”
The main task will be the restoration of the destroyed power grids, oil and refinery stations. Now, according to Mr. al-Haliki, “over 60% of the stations don’t work and need the fuel to start operation”. According to him, the country’s electricity grid is not completely destroyed. “Left the network, connecting the North (Qamishli) and South (to Deraa). Electricity is still being supplied, ” he said.— However, the production of electricity based on the fuel and oil sector suffered even greater terror than the electricity sector”.
Remaining under government control refinery capacity, according to the Syrian Prime Minister, at the limit of possibility. A day for the normal functioning of the country required 35 thousand tons of oil. “Today we surpass these amounts in order to use them 24 hours a day throughout the month, so this process is not interrupted,” he said.
Damascus also intends to begin to return to normal mode of operation of financial institutions in the country, which will require to achieve the lifting of some sanctions imposed at the initial stage of the civil war in the country in 2011-2012. “Given that Syria was not isolated from the world and kept a very serious financial ties with most countries and also have a reliable financial reputation, we plan to begin the process for lifting of the unjust sanctions on financial transactions with Syria outside world”,— he said.
Michael Korotkov
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The war may have cost Syria $1.3 trillion
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