Saudi Arabia launches major reconstruction project in Damascus

Sunday 07 September 2025 - 13:30

By: Sahili Aya

Saudi Arabia launches major reconstruction project in Damascus

Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday the launch of a large-scale humanitarian and reconstruction program in Syria, starting with the removal of more than 75,000 cubic meters of war debris from Damascus and surrounding areas. The initiative, unveiled during an event in the Syrian capital, comes weeks after Riyadh pledged billions of dollars in investments to help rebuild the country after nearly 15 years of civil war.

The program is led by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and includes recycling at least 30,000 cubic meters of rubble from destroyed homes and buildings. Saudi officials signed the agreement with Syria’s Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, highlighting the urgency of clearing unexploded remnants of war that continue to endanger civilians.

Beyond debris removal, the project also covers the rehabilitation of 34 schools in Aleppo, Idlib and Homs, the supply of medical equipment to 17 hospitals across the country, the reconstruction of around 60 bakeries, and the restoration of water and sanitation networks in Damascus.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria’s transitional government has sought foreign support to rebuild devastated infrastructure. The United Nations estimates that overall reconstruction costs may exceed 400 billion dollars. Saudi Arabia, one of the Gulf’s wealthiest nations, has positioned itself as a key backer of the new Syrian authorities, reinforcing its influence in the region through financial aid and strategic investment.