Turkey will provide 2 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Syria annually, Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Thursday, in a joint news conference in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart, Mohammad Al Bashir, as they signed a joint co-operation agreement to boost energy collaboration.
Mr Bayraktar said that Turkey's gas exports to Syria will contribute to an additional 1,300 megawatts of electricity production in the country and that Anakara aims to triple electricity exports to Syria up to 1,000 megawatts in coming months. Supplies will help increase power hours in Syria up to 12 hours per day, and the two will also explore natural resources to help reconstruction efforts, he added.
Turkey will start supplying Syria, which has suffered from severe power shortages, with gas in June as the two work on completing a gas pipeline connecting them, Mr Al Bashir said in the presser.
"This will significantly boost electricity generation, which will positively impact the Syrian people’s electricity needs."
The two minister discussed completing a 400-kilovolt line that links the countries, contributing to importing around 500 megawatts of electricity into Syria, to be ready by the end of the year or shortly thereafter.
Cooperation also includes opening the door for Turkish companies to invest in mining, phosphate, electricity generation and electricity distribution in Syria.
"There is very intensive work underway regarding the discovery of new natural resources, whether gas or oil, on land or at sea," Mr Bayraktar said.
Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available for only for a few hours a day in most areas. Damascus used to receive the bulk of its oil for power generation from Iran before Hayat Tahrir Al Sham took power in December.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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