Jordan, Syria and Lebanon seek to revive dormant energy deals

Israel-Gaza war had halted US-backed proposals, but a new political landscape has now emerged

The war-devastated suburb of Ain Tarma, in eastern Damascus. Both Syria and Lebanon have trouble supplying their people with electricity. AFP

Jordan said on Thursday it is ready to provide Lebanon and Syria with energy, as officials from the three countries met in Amman to revive electricity and gas supply schemes initially advocated by the US.

Saleh Al Kharabsheh, the kingdom's Energy Minister, said Jordan "believes in the need to ... overcome the challenges" with activating deals made in 2022 and 2023 to supply the two countries with Jordanian electricity. A less concrete deal also envisaged Egyptian gas flows through the Arab gas pipeline, which passes through Jordan, to Lebanon and Syria.

The official Lebanese news agency said Jordan "affirmed its readiness to supply the brothers ... with part of their energy needs" during the meeting of the energy ministers of the three countries. However, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad Al Bashir said electricity and gas lines to Lebanon have been affected by "political circumstances" and that regional co-ordination is needed to revive them.

Mr Al Bashir described lines with Jordan as being at "high readiness". Work is ongoing to "overcome challenges" on the Lebanese side, he said. Mr Al Bashir is a member of the Syrian government that replaced Bashar Al Assad in December 2024. The US lifted sanctions on the new Hayat Tahrir Al Sham government in May this year.

Under the 2022 regional deal, Jordanian electricity was supposed to flow in 2023 to Lebanon through Syria, which was then under Assad rule, providing 10 percent of Lebanon's electricity needs. The World Bank would have picked up the bill if Lebanon had implemented reforms aimed at curbing corruption in its political system.

The deal was part of Arab and US efforts to accommodate the former Syrian regime, after a long boycott by many Arab countries for its violent suppression of the 2011 revolt against decades of Assad family rule.

However, the US lost interest in the energy projects after the start of between Israel and Gaza on October 7, 2023. Shortly after, Hezbollah started attacking Israel with rockets in a bid to relieve pressure on militant groups in Gaza. This led to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed militants.