SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency

The annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank are underway in the U.S. capital, Washington, with a Syrian delegation headed by Minister of Finance Mohammed Yisr Barnieh.

In a speech delivered during the meetings, Minister Barnieh spoke about Syria’s ongoing reforms and the challenges it faces, affirming the importance of cooperation and support from international financial institutions.

“We participated in the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington and attended the ministerial meeting of the Group of Twenty-Four (G24), which represents the voice of developing countries in international institutions. Syria is a founding member of the group.” Minister Barnieh stated in a Facebook post.

The meetings addressed numerous issues related to structural transformation policies aimed at supporting growth in Syria, financing needs to achieve sustainable development goals.

On the sidelines of the meetings, Minister Barnieh met with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who expressed her welcome for Syria’s return to the international institutional framework.

In the same context, Minister Barnieh held another meeting with Junaid Ahmad, Vice President of Operations at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a World Bank affiliate, to discuss cooperation opportunities with Syria.

The meeting explored MIGA’s role in supporting long-term financing from donor entities to contribute to reconstruction efforts in collaboration with the Syrian Development Fund. It also examined opportunities to establish savings programs for Syrians abroad, managed by investment experts, aimed at attracting significant remittances and offering rewarding retirement plans.

Among the topics discussed, according to Barniya, was MIGA’s role in providing guarantees to investors in Syria. He stressed that such guarantees are crucial for encouraging investors to hedge against non-commercial risks, thereby enhancing investment flows into the country.

Barnieh noted that there is significant interest from major investors and global companies seeking to invest in Syria. He revealed that swift steps were agreed upon to enable MIGA to provide these investment guarantees, considering it a top priority for attracting investment.

The Minister expressed optimism about making progress on the issue of investment guarantees, which he described as the biggest current obstacle. Addressing it, he said, would unlock investment flows into Syria. He also noted that a MIGA delegation is scheduled to visit Syria next month.

President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met on Wednesday a delegation from the Syrian community in Russia, in the presence of Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani.

The President affirmed the important role of Syrians abroad in conveying the true image of Syria and contributing to the country’s reconstruction and development efforts.

Mazen

Moscow-SANA

President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow.

The meeting addressed bilateral relations between Syria and Russia and ways to strengthen strategic cooperation across various sectors.

At the start of the meeting, President Al-Sharaa emphasized the deep historical ties between the two countries, noting that Syria is entering a new phase in which it seeks to rebuild its political and strategic relations with regional and global powers—chief among them, the Russian Federation.

 “Syria and Russia share a long-standing historical relation, along with bilateral ties and mutual interests in several fields, including Syria’s energy sector, which heavily relies on Russian expertise,” President al-Sharaa said.

The President added: “We, respect all past agreements and are working to redefine the nature of these relations in a way that ensures Syria’s independence and national sovereignty.”

He affirmed that Syria’s territorial integrity and security are linked to regional and global stability.

President Al-Sharaa also thanked President Putin for the warm reception.

For his part, President Vladimir Putin noted that Russia–Syria relations date back to more than 80 years, rooted in a strong friendship that began during the Soviet era in 1941.

He stressed that Russia has never pursued narrow interests or short-term political gains in its approach to Syria.

Putin highlighted the deep social and historical ties between the two peoples and mentioned that over 4,000 Syrians are currently studying in Russian universities and institutes, hoping  that  the Syrian students would contribute to Syria’s future development.

The Russian President praised the successful parliamentary elections held in Syria on the fifth of this month, saying: “The elections were a major achievement, helping unify society despite the sensitive conditions Syria is facing.”

He emphasized that such steps are vital for the cohesion and strength of the Syrian state.

He also stressed the importance of resuming the work of the Russian-Syrian Joint Governmental Committee, which was launched in 1993 and recently resumed its activities under the leadership of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.

“Many important ideas have been identified, and we will do our utmost to implement them and bring them to life. Naturally, we agreed to hold regular consultations between our foreign ministries,” Putin said.

Putin welcomed President Al-Sharaa and his accompanying delegation to Russia and expressed his pleasure at meeting with him.

President Al-Sharaa was accompanied on his visit to Moscow by Foreign and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani, Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, General Intelligence Chief Hussein Al-Salama and Presidency Secretary-General Maher Al-Sharaa.

This marks President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s first visit to Russia. It follows a visit by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani to Moscow last July, during which he met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

In September, President Al-Sharaa also received a high-level Russian delegation in Damascus led by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and develop bilateral relations across various fields in service of both nations’ interests.

Mazen Eyon

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak affirmed his country’s readiness to support Syria in its reconstruction efforts and to cooperate across various sectors, including continued operations in Syrian oil fields.

He noted that Russian companies have long-standing experience in this sector within Syrian territory.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting between President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Wednesday, Novak said that Russian companies have been working in Syrian oil fields for a long time. Some fields need development, others have stooped production, and there are new fields—”we are ready to participate.”

He added: “Our companies are interested in using Russian equipment inside Syria, and this topic was discussed extensively during the meeting between Presidents Putin and Al-Sharaa.”

The official also affirmed Russian interest in developing Syria’s transportation infrastructure and rehabilitating the energy sector.

He elaborated that the presidents’ discussions also covered several areas, including humanitarian aid to Syria, energy, transportation, health, tourism and cooperation in cultural and humanitarian fields.

“Syria needs to rebuild its infrastructure, and Russia is capable of providing support in this area,” Novak said, noting that Moscow and Damascus agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Governmental Committee in the near future. Syria expressed interest in obtaining Russian wheat and pharmaceuticals.

Novak indicated that those issues will be discussed in greater detail, adding: “We are ready to provide support and participate in Syria’s reconstruction process.”

President Ahmad Al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow today on his first official visit to Russia, during which he met with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. The meeting focused on bilateral relations.

Mazen

Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal Al-Shaar held talks with several international economic institutions in Washington to explore avenues for economic cooperation and rebuilding global partnerships in the post-sanctions era.

During a roundtable hosted by the Gulf International Forum, Al-Shaar presented an overview of Syria’s economic landscape and its potential for opening up to regional and global markets. He also discussed the future of economic relations with Gulf countries and Syria’s strategic geographic role in fostering regional stability and serving as a launchpad for development across the Middle East.

Minister al-Shaar also met with the Middle East Institute in Washington, where he engaged with leading U.S. economists, investment bankers, and corporate representatives. The discussions focused on sustainable economic development in Syria and the creation of a new economic model positioning the country as a vital link between East, West, and the United States.

The minister’s visit is part of broader government efforts to reestablish economic ties and partnerships with international actors following years of isolation under the previous regime.

The Gulf International Forum, based in Washington, is an independent institute dedicated to promoting peace, progress, security, and stability in the Gulf and Middle East regions.

A military colonel in Madagascar has announced that the armed forces are taking control of the country after parliament voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina.

According to the announcement, in front of presidential palace in the capital, Antananarivo, the leader of Madagascar’s elite CAPSAT military unit Colonel Michael Randrianirina said “We are taking power.”
Mr Rajoelina, whose government has faced weeks of youth protests over poverty, power outages and a lack of opportunity in the Indian Ocean Island country, has reportedly fled the country, fearing for his safety.
However, his office denounced the military’s actions as an “attempted coup d’etat” and an “illegal declaration” and insisted that Mr Rajoelina remained in charge.

Colonel Randrianirina said the military would form a council composed of officers from the military and gendarmerie (a military force with policing duties), and that a prime minister would be appointed to “quickly” form a civilian government.

Elected in 2023 for a second five-year term after a military coup that brought him back to power-an operation in which the elite army unit played a key role—Rajoelina faces escalating pressure after the popular movement that began on September 25 led to casualties among demonstrators.

A cargo vessel carrying 32,800 metric tons of raw sugar from Brazil docked at Tartous Port on Wednesday, as part of Syria’s ongoing efforts to stabilize domestic food supplies and support the local market through maritime imports.

Speaking to SANA, Mazen Alloush, Director of Public Relations at the General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, said the shipment is part of a broader strategy to revitalize economic activity via seaports and ensure a steady flow of essential commodities. The unloading process is expected to take between six and eight days.

On October 6th, two additional vessels arrived at the port carrying a combined 70,000 tons of wheat for the Syrian Grain Establishment, underscoring the government’s push to secure strategic food reserves amid ongoing supply challenges.

The Syrian Planning and Statistics Authority, led by Anas Salim, took part in the 50th session of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Statistical Research (AITRS), hosted by the National Center for Statistics and Information in Oman.

The event brought together senior Arab statistical officials and representatives from regional and international organizations.

Salim also attended the 43rd session of the Permanent High Technical Committee for Statistics under the Arab League, where participants explored ways to strengthen coordination and exchange expertise among Arab countries to enhance statistical systems and support sustainable development goals.

He expressed his appreciation to Oman and the Arab delegations that prioritized cooperation with Syria in the statistical field, with special thanks to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Sudan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Qatar, and Oman.

The Arab Institute serves as a regional hub for training and research to build statistical capacity, while the Permanent Committee acts as the Arab League’s coordinating body for advancing Arab statistical integration.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa emphasized during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday that the new Syria is rebuilding its regional and international relations and maintains close ties with Russia.

At the Kremlin Palace, President al-Sharaa stated, “In the new Syria, we are rebuilding relations with all regional and international countries.” He emphasized that Syria and Russia share close bilateral ties and mutual interests.

The president also noted that based on these close relations, “a significant part of Syria’s energy sector relies on Russian expertise,” adding that Syria “respects all agreements signed with Russia.”

President Putin stressed that the friendly Russian-Syrian relations “have never been tied to political conditions or narrow interests,” but are based on the mutual interests of both peoples.

“I welcome President Ahmad al-Sharaa. We have maintained strong relations with Syria for more than 80 years,” President Putin said. He added that Russia “maintains close ties with the Syrian people and is working to further develop relations with Damascus.”

President Putin also stated that the Joint Governmental Committee between Russia and Syria will soon resume its activities.

The United Nations stated on Wednesday that it had received notification from Israeli authorities of their intention to reduce the number of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip by half.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said that Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) had officially informed the UN of the decision. He added that Israeli authorities had previously agreed to allow approximately 600 aid trucks per day following the ceasefire.

Haq noted that the United Nations is working to ensure the maximum delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip. He reiterated the organization’s call for all parties to uphold their commitments under the agreement, particularly the guarantee of continuous humanitarian access.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement came into effect last Friday, following two years of a devastating Israeli military war during which more than 67,000 Palestinians were killed and approximately 170,000, mostly women and children, were injured.

A Palestinian has been killed, while 13 others were arrested following Israeli forces attacks in various areas of the West Bank.

According to the Palestinian News Agency WAFA, Israeli forces struck a young man on the head in the town of al-Ram, north of Jerusalem, resulting in his death.

They also raided neighborhoods in Qalqilya, Bethlehem, al-Arroub refugee camp, and the towns of Halhul and Beit Ummar in al-Khalil, arresting 13 Palestinians.

Additionally, Israeli forces closed the western entrance of the village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, preventing residents from entering or leaving. Notably, this is currently the village’s only access point, following the closure of its eastern entrance on October 7, 2023.

406 Syrian refugees arrived on Wednesday at Jedeidet Yabous crossing in Damascus countryside as part of the voluntary return program from Lebanon to Syria.

The initiative is organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Gaza, SANA – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) confirmed that it is prioritizing the return of approximately 140,000 students in Gaza to classrooms, following disruptions caused by Israeli aggression and the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNRWA Media Advisor Adnan Abu Hasna noted in an interview with Al Jazeera that many children suffer from illiteracy due to the interruption of education. He stressed that over one million children in Gaza continue to live in severe humanitarian conditions.”

He added that UNRWA maintains a stockpile of around 6,000 trucks of food supplies, along with tents and blankets, ready for distribution once access restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities are lifted. The agency has 12,000 permanent staff in the region, supported by temporary personnel, all experienced in humanitarian operations.

Abu Hasna said UNRWA has a comprehensive distribution plan focusing on food supplies, tents, blankets, and support for health and education, and called on member states to support the agency in assisting children and families during this critical period.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives in Russia on an official visit to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on bilateral relations between the two countries and regional and international developments of mutual interest.

The first conference on smart dental marketing, drawing on Turkish experience, kicked off Wednesday at the conference hall of the Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University.

Bringing together leading experts, the conference aims to present a forward-looking vision for dentistry, drawing on key international experiences, including Turkey’s, to improve the quality of services and to develop Syria’s health sector.

Israeli forces conducted incursions and raids in Eastern al-Samadaniyah and Ofaniya, in the Quneitra countryside, a SANA reporter said.

According to the reporter, an Israeli force consisting of eight military vehicles, a heavy bulldozer, and two tanks advanced from near Tal Krum Jaba toward Eastern al-Samadaniyah before withdrawing hours later toward the destroyed city of Quneitra.

The reporter added that another force entered Ofaniya village, raided and searched two houses, and then withdrew from the area.

Israeli forces continue their attacks against Syrian territory in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, international law, and United Nations resolutions. Syria condemns these repeated assaults and calls on the international community to take firm action to end them.

Jordan’s Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II reaffirmed his country’s support for Syria and Lebanon in preserving their stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

During a meeting with British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Yvette Cooper in London, Prince Al-Hussein welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine. He emphasized the need for concrete steps toward achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.

The Crown Prince also stressed the necessity of ensuring the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and enhancing the humanitarian response to alleviate the suffering of its residents.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement came into effect on October 10, following more than two years of Israeli aggression, which resulted in the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians and the injury of approximately 170,000 others, the majority of whom were women and children.

Indonesia’s National Volcanology Agency has announced that Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, located on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, has erupted multiple times since Tuesday evening, prompting the declaration of the highest alert level.

In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said: “Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-meter-high peak, recorded its most powerful eruption this morning, sending volcanic materials 10 kilometers above its crater. The lava rose to a height of nine kilometers above the summit during its first eruption on Tuesday evening.”

The Geological Agency has raised the volcanic alert level to 4, the highest of Indonesia’s four-tiered alert system.

Muhammad Wafid, head of the Geology Agency, advised residents and tourists to stay at least six kilometers away from the crater and to remain cautious of mudflows or volcanic debris. He also warned that “ashfall could disrupt aircraft operations and flight paths.”

Authorities have suspended operations at Maumere Airport, located 60 kilometers from the volcano and serving domestic flights.

The National Library in Damascus hosted on Tuesday the “Syrian Narrative” Forum, organized by the Ministry of Culture with the participation of a distinguished group of political, cultural, and media figures.

The three-day forum aims to document Syria’s national memory and ensure its transmission to future generations. It features panel discussions on the spark of the Syrian revolution, the rise from the ashes, the historical roots and legacy of the former regime, the geopolitical situation, displacement, detainees and the disappeared, and the victory and deterrence of aggression.

Among the participants is Presidential Media Advisor Ahmad Zaidan, who emphasized that documenting the “Syrian Narrative” is a national and humanitarian duty to protect the collective memory from distortion or oblivion.

Minister of Culture Mohammad Yassin al-Saleh, said that the forum marks the first step in a comprehensive national project to document Syrian memory. He uncovered the start of working on a comprehensive documentary book that will be released soon. The book will serve as a reference for future generations and as a resource for visiting cultural delegations.

The United Nations General Assembly voted on Tuesday to elect 14 new members to the UN Human Rights Council, with Egypt and Iraq among those selected. The new members will serve three-year terms starting on January 1, 2026.

Egypt secured a spot from the African group with 173 votes, alongside Angola, Mauritius, and South Africa. For the Asia-Pacific group, Iraq was elected with 175 votes, joining India, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

Two Latin American and Caribbean countries-Chile and Ecuador- were also chosen, while Italy and the United Kingdom will represent Western European and other states. Estonia and Slovenia will take the two seats for Central and Eastern Europe.

The Human Rights Council, composed of 47 member states, is a key UN body dedicated to safeguarding human rights globally. It has the mandate to address human rights issues year-round and convenes its sessions in Geneva.

Elected by the UN General Assembly, the members are selected based on their contributions to promoting and protecting human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments.