Damascus, July 21 (SANA)Transport Minister Yarub Badr met on Tuesday with aWorld Bankteam via video conference to discuss mechanisms for implementing railway development projects and rehabilitating Syria’s rail infrastructure, as part of ongoing cooperation to finance priority infrastructure projects.

The meeting followed up on the outcomes of a workshop held in Amman in June, which brought together transport officials and World Bank representatives to advance technical and financial preparations for the railway sector.

The World Bank team presented implementation plans focusing on rehabilitating the phosphate transport corridor and strengthening regional connectivity of Syria’s railway network with neighboring countries to boost transport and regional trade.

Both sides agreed to receive a World Bank technical mission in early August to complete studies and technical procedures and develop implementation plans ahead of project launch.

Fleet modernization, capacity building

The plans include institutional and technical capacity development, a comprehensive survey of the phosphate corridor to rehabilitate it for higher efficiency, and support for the General Railways Corporation with locomotives, spare parts, and specialized maintenance equipment to improve fleet readiness and operational efficiency.

Badr described the World Bank plans as a strategic step in rehabilitating and developing the railway sector as a cornerstone of the transport system, noting that cooperation with the World Bank will help implement the ministry’s priorities of modernizing infrastructure and strengthening domestic and regional rail connectivity.

The meeting follows a series of technical meetings in Amman from June 15-17 to discuss railway rehabilitation and infrastructure development. In April, Syria held talks with the World Bank on financing infrastructure projects to accelerate economic recovery. In February, Syria secured $50 million in World Bank funding to purchase 15 new locomotives and conduct a technical assessment of existing railway engines.

Badr has emphasized that Syria’s railway network is a vital corridor connecting Europe to the Gulf, with a rail corridor extending from Türkiye through Syria and Jordan to Saudi Arabia. The plans come as regional states search for alternative trade routes following disruption to maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.