Readiness Declared in Bangkok
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development said it is ready to resume development cooperation with Syria and contribute to the country's reconstruction, coordinating with Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The remarks were made on 14 October 2026.
Its acting director general, Rashid Al-Badr, spoke at a World Bank roundtable of Syria's reconstruction partners held in Bangkok on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
A Billion-Dollar Record
Since 1969, the fund has extended Syria about 28 loans worth more than 330 million Kuwaiti dinars, equivalent to roughly one billion US dollars (USD). The financing covered energy, roads, telecommunications, irrigation, water, and sanitation.
Crisis-Era Grants
During the Syrian conflict, the fund channeled more than 375 million US dollars in grants to people affected inside Syria and in neighboring host countries, working with United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners.
In August and September 2026, it signed grant agreements with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to support the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
A Joint Review Team
Talks with Syrian authorities proposed forming a joint technical, legal, and financial team to review previously funded projects and identify new ones. Candidate sectors include energy infrastructure, water and sanitation networks, roads and bridges, schools, and health facilities, alongside technical assistance and institutional support, set according to priorities defined by Syria.
Weighing a Trust Fund
The fund said it is willing to consider joining a proposed multi-donor trust fund for Syria's reconstruction that would be managed by the World Bank, pending further detail on its structure and governance. The signals follow a September 2026 visit by a Syrian delegation, led by Qutaiba Qadish, to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia to discuss renewed cooperation, during which it met the fund among other Kuwaiti institutions.