DAMASCUS: Syria’s ambitious economic reforms will develop beyond the recent salary increases for public sector workers, President Ahmad Al-Sharaa has said.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with dignitaries and residents from Aleppo province, Al-Sharaa said that the government, since liberation, had focused on rebuilding state institutions, restoring stability and improving living conditions.
Though the state had succeeded in raising wages to “acceptable levels,” further measures will follow to build on that progress, he added.
BACKGROUND
President Ahmad Al-Sharaa said Syria faced major economic and infrastructure challenges inherited from the deposed regime, particularly in the damaged energy sector.
“This is not the ceiling, nor the end result,” the president said, adding that the government viewed improving Syrians’ living standards as a national responsibility.
Al-Sharaa said Syria faced major economic and infrastructure challenges inherited from the deposed regime, particularly in the damaged energy sector, which he described as critical to broader economic recovery.
The president said that increasing electricity supply to almost 20 hours per day within one year, and in some areas up to 24 hours or about 16 hours in rural areas, remained difficult given the severe damage to the country’s energy infrastructure.
Al-Sharaa added that Syria’s recovery efforts depended largely on the Syrian people, whom he described as experienced and hardworking, while highlighting the state’s role in creating conditions that support gradual economic recovery.
In March, Al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 67, granting a 50 percent increase in fixed salaries and wages for state employees.
The president also issued Decree No. 68, which launched additional wage increases for employees in several public institutions as part of broader efforts to improve living conditions and support public sector workers.
In Idlib on Wednesday, Al-Sharaa met a number of public figures from the province to exchange Eid greetings.
The meeting, part of Eid celebrations, reflects the president’s engagement with local community figures across Syria.
