Electricity networking deal from Jordan to Lebanon via Syria is signed

BEIRUT, Jan.26, (ST)- Syria, Lebanon and Jordan signed on Wednesday an agreement on electricity networking from Jordan to Lebanon via Syria.

“We in Syria are among the first countries that seek to enhance  Arab-Arab cooperation in all fields,” The Minister of Electricity Ghassan al-Zamel said during a press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Walid Fayyad and his Jordanian counterpart Saleh al-Kharabsheh after signing the agreement.

“The Syrian government has been insisting on the success of this file as soon as possible, and there is direct supervision from the government to follow up on the implementation of the works that are completed in a record time and supervised by the Ministry of Electricity and the Electricity Transmission Establishment as we completed the works that we pledged to complete within the specified period and we are currently ready for the electrical networking,” Al-Zamel clarified, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

He noted that the signing is the start of Arab-Arab cooperation, and it will be a good start of greater cooperation in all fields.

For his part, the Lebanese Minister of Energy described the signing of the agreement as an important historical moment for Lebanon and the Arab world.

“We are consolidating joint Arab action, economic and social work, and cohesion among the Arabs with this stance because of its importance to the Lebanese people,” Fayyad said.

He indicated that upon the agreement, Lebanon will be provided with 250 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity in cooperation with Jordan and with the support and participation of Syria.

Fayyad added that his country seeks to import gas from Egypt and Jordan, with the support of Syria, to supply the Zahrani power station with gas, pointing out that an agreement in this regard will enter into force two months from now.

The Jordanian Minister of Energy Saleh al-Kharabsheh declared: “The deal enhances the cooperation and our historical relationship between our countries upon the directives of the leaders of these countries.”

He asserted the need to upgrade the level of cooperation between Syria, Lebanon and Jordan

“We are committed to the cooperation between us for the benefit of all, not only for the interest of Lebanon, and any cooperation between Arab countries is in the interest of all Arab countries,” al-Kharabsheh concluded.

Basma Qaddour