Qatari funds 'not enough' for 400% pay rise promised to Syrian public sector workers

Gulf state's $29m a month pledge would cover a fifth of salary increase for civil servants

Counting money at Syria's central bank. Qatar's assistance to the new government in Damascus is not enough to pay a promised salary rise to government workers. Reuters

Public sector workers in Syria are unlikely to receive a 400 per cent pay rise promised by the new government in Damascus, despite Qatar providing nearly $90 million, The National has been told.

The injection of $29 million a month for three months, which is scheduled to begin in June, would provide about 20 per cent of the funds needed, according to official figures. It is unclear how the Syrian government, labouring under Bashar Al Assad era sanctions, will find the rest of the money.

Some public sector salaries would increase from about $100 to $125 a month, according to Benjamin Feve, a senior policy researcher at Karam Shaar Advisory.

That would cost about 1.65 trillion Syrian pounds ($130 million) a month, according to figures provided by the Finance Ministry in February. If equally dispersed to almost 900,000 public sector workers, the Qatari funds would cover $30 a month.

“This makes me think they’re not going to provide a 400 per cent increase to all state employees. Or they’ll only be funding some public sector employees like health and education,” Mr Feve said.

Reuters reported that the Qatari grant excludes the Interior and Defence ministries given concerns in western capitals about the Islamist background of Syria's self-proclaimed new rulers. The Ministry of Finance did not respond to The National’s request for comments seeking clarification on how the Qatari aid would be distributed.

An official from the Ministry of Economy said that “detailed information” on how the money will be shared between the ministries was not available.

UNDP Syria, a UN agency responsible for ensuring transparency, said the project was being developed “as a matter of priority”, although it did not specify when and how it would be put into effect. “Details will be shared as soon as it is concluded and signed,” it said.

Public sector salaries average about $15 to $45 a month, with many employees needing to take on additional jobs to make ends meet.

A 'plaster' measure

Mohammad Al Jabi, president of the Aleppo Tourism Union, said his monthly government salary is $25. The engineering graduate is tutoring to supplement his income.

Before the overthrow of Mr Al Assad, his salary amounted to $18 a month. It rose to $25 when the Syrian pound gained value against the dollar following the arrival of the new government, but it is still insufficient, he told The National.

“In Aleppo, you need at least – minimum, minimum – $500 to live. Even the raises the government will provide won’t be enough,” Mr Al Jabi said.

Syria is seeking funds for reconstruction but remains under sanctions imposed on the Assad regime. Reuters

Public sector employees have yet to receive any official notification about the salary increase.

“We’ve had no official confirmation, only what we see on social media. We’re waiting, and we hope it will be enough for all public servants,” one post office employee told The National.

He earns about $30 a month, which could jump to $150 if he benefits from the full 400 per cent increase.

Critics said the Qatari funds are merely a “plaster” for a sector in need of reform.

“Funding is only $29 million monthly – it’s very small and only for three months,” Mr Feve said. “Still, it is a good addition to stimulate the economy.”

The Qatari help was approved by the US in May after months of delay. It is unclear whether the US would extend the sanction waiver once the initial three-month period is over.

That would depend on the US and whether the Syrian government “manages to prove it’s doing a good job of managing the country”, Mr Feve said. “There are also parameters that the US cares about such as Israeli [security], minorities and so on."

“If Qatar stops paying, they’ll have to decrease their wages, because there's no way for Syria for financing this by itself.”

Western governments have imposed conditions on the easing of far-reaching sanctions that have suffocated the Syrian economy for years.

“No one in Syria is living off just their public sector salary. I’m educated, I speak English, I have a master’s degree – and after years of working in my own country, I still only make $25 a month,” Mr Al Jabi said.