Bloomberg: Qatar finances gas supplies to Syria via Azerbaijan

Qatar has announced a significant increase in its support for Syria’s electricity sector by increasing natural gas supplies sent via pipelines from Azerbaijan, as part of a financing agreement overseen by the Qatar Development Fund, Bloomberg reported.

Details of the initiative: The amount of gas supplied to Syria will increase to 3.4 million cubic meters per day, compared to the 2 million cubic meters announced last March.

This increase is expected to improve electricity production by 40% and provide additional power to more than 5 million people, including residential, commercial, and industrial areas.

With a total investment exceeding $760 million, this Qatari contribution is one of the largest in the energy support file in Syria.

A Qatari official, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that his country will bear the costs of gas sent via Azerbaijan and Türkiye as part of the second phase of the electricity support project, which extends for a full year.

The initiative reflects a significant shift in Qatar’s foreign policy towards the Syrian crisis, through a humanitarian and technical approach focused on strengthening vital infrastructure.

On this regard, the US Special Envoy for Syria and US Ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack, expressed his deep appreciation to the State of Qatar after it announced full funding for the Azerbaijani natural gas project for Syria, a step he described as vital towards relief and stability.

Barrack posted on X that this initiative will provide up to 800 megawatts of electricity, starting August 2, 2025, enough to light more than 5 million homes in Syria.

Barrack wrote, “We thank Qatar for its bold and proactive support, which comes at a crucial moment for the Syrians and reflects the depth of partnership and friendship”.

According to a statement by the Qatar Fund for Development, this project is part of the second phase of support for the energy sector in Syria, in implementation of the directives of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The new phase is scheduled to extend for a full year and will cover the supply of electricity to Syria by transporting Azerbaijani gas through Türkiye to the Aleppo power plant, which will distribute power to various Syrian cities.

These supplies are expected to increase electricity supply to 5 hours per day, a 40% improvement for more than 5 million subscribers, while also enhancing stability in service and industrial areas.

The first phase of the project began with a capacity of 400 megawatts, significantly contributing to the stability of the electrical grid in vital areas and increasing the supply hours from 16 to 24 hours per day.

With this, Qatar’s total contributions to electricity support in Syria amount to more than $760 million, according to what was confirmed by the Qatar News Agency (QNA).