French company revives Syria agreement to rebuild bridges: What we know
The agreement covers 37 bridges in Syria, where infrastructure was severely damaged during the civil war, but may now be rebuilt following the lifting of Western sanctions.
The Syrian government signed an agreement with French company Matiere on Sunday to rebuild numerous bridges across the war-torn country, reviving an earlier agreement signed under the government of former President Bashar al-Assad.
The General Establishment for Road Transport met with representatives from Matiere in Damascus to activate a memorandum of understanding between the two parties, Syria’s official news outlet, SANA, reported. Originally signed in 2023 during Assad’s rule, the agreement covered the rebuilding and repair of 32 bridges throughout Syria. According to SANA, the parties have now agreed to include five additional bridges, bringing the total to 37.
Matiere did not immediately respond to Al-Monitor’s request for comment.
Assad was overthrown in December following a rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group. Ahmed al-Sharaa, HTS’s wartime leader, is now Syria’s president.
