Bank Delegation in Damascus
Syria's transport minister, Yarub Badr, met on 10 June 2026 with a delegation from the Islamic Development Bank led by regional director Saleh al-Jalassi to discuss rehabilitating the country's road network. The talks centered on how the multilateral lender might support infrastructure repair after years of damage and neglect.
The meeting opened a channel between the ministry and a development bank whose backing could help finance large-scale reconstruction.
Mapping the Network
The two sides discussed a comprehensive assessment of roughly 10,000 kilometers of primary roads, covering pavement condition and traffic safety. The review is meant to establish which stretches need the most urgent work.
Economic feasibility studies were proposed for the country's main North-South and East-West axes, the corridors that carry the bulk of domestic and transit traffic.
Priority Corridors
Five strategic routes spanning some 1,500 kilometers were singled out for review. Among the priority projects are the Raqqa-Deir ez-Zor-Bukamal highway, a Damascus-Deir ez-Zor route, and a toll-based North-South corridor.
The agenda also included a digital logistics platform intended to improve the efficiency of cargo transport across the network.
Wider Support
Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Jeddah, the bank counts 57 member states across four continents. Beyond roads, it pledged support for flood-recovery efforts and capacity-building programs.
No financing figures or binding commitments were announced, leaving the scale of any eventual funding to later stages of the discussions.