Syria seeks $5 billion for telecommunications and digital infrastructure

Syrian Minister of Communications and Technology, Abd al-Salam Heikal, has announced that the country requires at least $5 billion in investment to develop its telecommunications infrastructure and advance digital transformation. Of this target, approximately $2 billion has already been secured.

A key component of this development is the ‘Silk Link’ project, which aims to build a new backbone network connecting various regions in Syria. This project is intended to establish a regional data gateway linking the Mediterranean to Asian markets via Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. An agreement regarding this regional data routing is expected to be announced in the coming days.

In the mobile services sector, investments are expected to exceed $3 billion, including contributions from the new operator, Zain, and anticipated investments in Syriatel. The license granted to Zain is expected to generate approximately $750 million for the Syrian treasury, with the company slated to begin commercial operations in early 2027. Additionally, Saudi companies have expressed interest in the Syrian market, with upcoming investments in local startups and applications.