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Saudi Arabia and Qatar will provide financial support for Syria's government employees, Saudi Foreign Minister says

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud announced on Saturday that Saudi Arabia and Qatar will offer financial support jointly to Syrian state employees.

Bin Farhan, speaking at a press briefing in Damascus with Asaad Al-Shibani, his Syrian counterpart, said that the kingdom and Qatar would provide joint financial support for state employees in Syria.

He did not give details about the amount of financial support that Riyadh or Doha will provide. It echoes the sentiments of a

Similar Move

In a joint statement released by Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the two countries said that they would provide financial support over a period of three months.

The move was a result of an

earlier contribution

Saudi Arabia and Qatar settled Syria's outstanding arrears to the World Bank of approximately $15 million in April.

The Saudi Foreign Minister's visit follows a U.S. surprise announcement made on

Lifting sanctions

On Syria's islamist-led government that overthrew former president Bashar al Assad in December.

U.S. president

Donald Trump

The decision was made during his recent Middle East visit. It was said to be at the request of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, whose nation was the main advocate of lifting sanctions.

Recent economic sanctions against Syria were also lifted by the European Union.

Bin Farhan spoke of his country's contribution to the lifting of economic sanctions against Syria and said that Saudi Arabia will continue to be a major supporter of Syria in its efforts to rebuild and recover economically.

He claimed that a high-level delegation of the Kingdom's economic sector was accompanying him to "hold discussions (with the Syrians) to strengthen aspects of cooperation in different fields".

He said that Saudi businessmen would visit Syria in the next few days to discuss investment in energy, agriculture and infrastructure, among other sectors.

After the fall of Assad, the Syrian leadership wants to improve ties with Arabs and Western leaders.

The state hopes that a flood of aid and investment from Gulf neighbors after the lifting of sanctions will help rebuild a country ravaged by conflict.

The Syrian President's Office reported that Sharaa, the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to visit Kuwait this Sunday, upon an invitation from Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The source stated that Sharaa will discuss various aspects of economic and political cooperation during his first official trip to Kuwait. Menna Alaa and Muhammad Al Gebaly, Menna Alaa and Jaidaa THA (Reporting and Writing)

(source: Reuters)