Damascus Allows Establishment of Two Oil Refineries

A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
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Damascus Allows Establishment of Two Oil Refineries

A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

The Syrian Parliament has approved two bills to establish two private companies operating in the field of oil refineries.

A company affiliated with “Katerji Group,” which is owned by a businessman on a Western sanctions list, will be part of these companies.

According to sources in Damascus, the parliament has approved an agreement to establish two companies, the “Coast Refinery” and the “Rusafa Refinery”.

Approval was granted after the parliament had reviewed a report by the committee specialized in studying the partners’ agreement to establish a joint-stock company under the Coast Refinery Company.

The company is aimed at establishing, operating and managing an oil condensate refinery.

The agreement was signed between the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the General Organization for Refining and Distribution of Petroleum Products (GORDPP) as the first party, and Arvada and the Lebanese Sallizar Shipping SAL as the second party, Russia Today (RT) news website reported.

The parliament also approved the bill that includes ratifying a contract signed on September 19, 2019 between the Ministry of Petroleum and the contractor, represented by “Arvada” and “Sallizar Shipping SAL.”

The contract aims to develop and expand the Tartous oil terminal, establish a new oil transportation system, and rehabilitate and maintain the existing oil transportation system in accordance with the provisions of the contract and its appendices.

Head of the Syrian regime Bashar al-Assad has earlier referred these two bills along with the contract to the country’s parliament.

It is noteworthy that there are two government oil refineries in Syria. One in the coastal city of Baniyas and the other in the central city of Homs.



World Bank, IAEA to Cooperate on Nuclear Power Development, Safety

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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World Bank, IAEA to Cooperate on Nuclear Power Development, Safety

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

The World Bank and the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Thursday launched a new agreement to cooperate on the safe development and financing of nuclear power for developing countries, including extending the life of existing reactors.

World Bank President Ajay Banga and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi were due to sign the memorandum of understanding in Paris that is part of the bank's return to nuclear energy financing.

According to Reuters, he IAEA and the World Bank said in a statement that they agreed to work together to build knowledge in the nuclear field, including expanding the World Bank Group's understanding of nuclear safety, security, energy planning, and waste management.

The institutions also said they would work together to extend the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants as a cost-effective source of low-carbon power and accelerate the development of small modular reactors, saying that they have potential for widespread adoption in developing countries.

In prepared remarks, Banga said that reliable baseload power provided by nuclear energy was essential for job-generating sectors such as infrastructure, agribusiness, health care, tourism and manufacturing.

"Jobs need electricity. So do factories, hospitals, schools, and water systems. And as demand surges — with AI and development alike — we must help countries deliver reliable, affordable power," Banga said.

"That's why we're embracing nuclear energy as part of the solution — and re-embracing it as part of the mix the World Bank Group can offer developing countries to achieve their ambitions."

Grossi said that the "landmark" agreement was "a sign of the world's return to realism on nuclear power" and would open the door for other multilateral development banks and private investors to consider nuclear power as a viable tool for energy security.

He called the partnership a "crucial first step" to clearing the financing path for small modular reactor technology, which has the potential to cleanly power developing economies.