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Gulf Countries Reject Undermining of their Values, Regional, Int’l Contributions

The Gulf officials meet via videoconference on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Gulf officials meet via videoconference on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Gulf Countries Reject Undermining of their Values, Regional, Int’l Contributions

The Gulf officials meet via videoconference on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Gulf officials meet via videoconference on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Media ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries stressed on Thursday their condemnation and rejection of all systematic and spiteful media campaigns against Gulf countries.

Meeting via videoconference, they also slammed attempts aimed at undermining Gulf successes and contributions on regional and international levels.

They underlined the need for collective efforts to confront such campaigns and shed light on honorable Gulf achievements in all fields.

Saudi Minister of Commerce and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid al-Qasabi chaired the meeting that was attended by United Arab Emirates Minister of Culture and Youth Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi; Bahrain’s Minister of Information Affairs Dr. Ramzan bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi; Oman’s Minister of Information Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harrasi; CEO of Qatar Media Corporation Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Thani bin Khalid Al Thani, and Kuwait’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information Mohammed Bader bin Naji. GCC Secretary General Dr. Nayef Al Hajraf also took part in the meeting.

The ministers emphasized their keenness to develop joint work in the media field in order to achieve the noble goals of the GCC, including deepening cooperation between their countries, maintaining desired sustainable development and bolstering regional and international security and stability.

The ministers reviewed a number of issues in the media field, including the implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Council and the Ministerial Council. They discussed the strategic plan for joint media cooperation in the GCC countries (2023-2030), and the results of the meetings of the specialized committees in the media fields.

They approved the various programs and joint projects presented on the agenda, including the radio and television programs produced by the GCC states. They approved cooperation projects between news agencies, electronic media and cooperation in the field of external media, as well as coordination and cooperation in technical and engineering fields related to reception and broadcasting channels and media.

The ministers congratulated Qatar on the launch of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and its historic opening ceremony that reflects the great efforts that the country has exerted in organizing the landmark global event.

They also congratulated the Saudi national team on its historic against Argentina in their opening Group C match on Tuesday.

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Qatar Will Send Natural Gas to Syria to Increase Its Meager Electricity Supply 

People break their fast during an event organized by a charity organization in Qaboun neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, 04 March 2025. (EPA)
People break their fast during an event organized by a charity organization in Qaboun neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, 04 March 2025. (EPA)
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Qatar Will Send Natural Gas to Syria to Increase Its Meager Electricity Supply 

People break their fast during an event organized by a charity organization in Qaboun neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, 04 March 2025. (EPA)
People break their fast during an event organized by a charity organization in Qaboun neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, 04 March 2025. (EPA)

Qatar will provide natural gas supplies to Syria with the aim of generating 400 megawatts of electricity a day, in a measure to help address the war-battered country’s severe electricity shortages, Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported Friday.

Syria’s interim Minister of Electricity Omar Shaqrouq said the Qatari supplies are expected to increase the daily state-provided electricity supply from two to four hours per day.

Under the deal, Qatar will send 2 million cubic meters of natural gas a day to the Deir Ali power station, south of Damascus, via a pipeline passing through Jordan.

Qatar’s state-run news agency said that the initiative was part of an agreement between the Qatar Fund for Development and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Jordan in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program and “aims to address the country’s severe shortage in electricity production and enhance its infrastructure.”

Syria’s economy and infrastructure, including electricity production, has been devastated by nearly 14 years of civil war and crushing Western sanctions imposed on the government of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Those who can afford it rely on solar power and private generators to make up for the meager state power supply, while others remain most of the day without power.

Since Assad was ousted in a lightning opposition offensive in December, the country’s new rulers have struggled to consolidate control over territory that was divided into de facto mini-states during the war and to begin the process of reconstruction.

The United Nations in 2017 estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria, while experts say that number could reach at least $400 billion.

The United States remains circumspect about the interim government and current President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the former leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. Washington designates HTS as a terrorist organization and has been reluctant to lift sanctions.

In January, however, the US eased some restrictions, issuing a six-month general license that authorizes certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions.