The Syrian Petroleum Company is dealing with the controversial PwC auditing services!
In a move that sparked widespread controversy among economists and those interested in public affairs, the Syrian Petroleum Company held an extensive meeting on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, with representatives of the global company “PwC” for auditing and consulting.
The meeting came amid official talk about restructuring the energy sector and attracting international investment.
But what is worrying is the international company’s controversial record, which puts big question marks about how wise it is to deal with it in a vital and sensitive sector like energy.
A scandal-ridden march: From Australia to China, PwC doesn’t come to Damascus with a white reputation; the company, which is supposed to be a symbol of integrity and transparency, has been at the center of some of the biggest financial and administrative corruption scandals in recent years.
Australia scandal: Government secrets leaked between 2023 and 2025 A major scandal rocked PwC Australia when it was revealed that its associates leaked confidential tax information they obtained while working as government advisers.
This information was then sold to tech giants, such as Google, to help them evade paying taxes.
The consequences of this scandal were devastating for the company, prompting mass resignations in senior management, and PwC was forced to sell its government consulting division for just $1, in a desperate attempt to contain public anger and avoid the legal prosecutions that nearly toppled its presence in the country.
Covering up the counterfeiting of billions, the situation in China has never been better, as in 2024, the company’s reputation was dealt a major blow after its Chinese subsidiary was found to have covered up the inflation of real estate giant Evergrande’s revenues, falsifying revenues of up to $78 billion.
The scandal led to a historic $62 million fine on the company, as well as a six-month ban on its Chinese subsidiary.
This incident has brought down the confidence of many international investors in the company.
The meeting comes at a time when Syria’s energy sector is witnessing major developments, such as the Trans-Jordan gas agreement and Qatari-backed power plant projects.
The involvement of a company with a controversial history like PwC raises legitimate questions:
Information security: How can a company that has been proven to leak sensitive government secrets be trusted when it comes to strategic data for Syria’s energy sector and infrastructure?
PwC is known for combining the role of auditor and advisor for the same entity, which international parliamentary reports have warned against because it creates a conflict of interest and opens the door to opaque processes.
Questionable timing: At a time when countries like Saudi Arabia have begun reviewing their dealings with PwC and suspended some of their advisory activities there in 2025, the Syrian steps appear to be heading in the opposite direction, with no clear reference to reform guarantees from the global company.
The most important question remains: Will the Syrian Petroleum Company be able to draw lessons from the experiences of other countries, or is Syria’s sensitive energy sector about to be placed in the hands of events that may not be honest?
