AMMAN — Jordan, Syria and Lebanon agreed on Thursday to form joint technical teams to assess and rehabilitate electricity transmission lines and the Arab Gas Pipeline.

 

The meeting at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources brought together Kharabsheh and his Lebanese and Syrian counterparts Joe Saddi and Mohammed Bashir, along with technical delegations from the three countries.

 

Discussions focused on infrastructure that has been out of service since years and the amount of damage the lines have suffered during the Syrian conflict.

 

According to a ministry statement, participants discussed the condition of transmission lines and pipeline sections running through Syria and Lebanon, networks that were once part of broader regional energy-exchange plans but have been idle for years due to conflict, political instability and funding shortages.

 

They sought to reactivate the Arab electricity interconnection project, restore gas flows through the Arab Gas Pipeline and strengthen coordination to improve system efficiency and supply reliability, the statement said.

 

The three ministers agreed to form joint technical teams to inspect and upgrade the lines and pipelines and to prepare a set of follow-up measures for all sides, the statement said.

 

The ministry’s statement reiterated Jordan’s readiness to supply part of Lebanon’s and Syria’s energy needs once networks are repaired.

 

On the sidelines of the meeting, Kharabsheh underlined the importance of the three countries working jointly to address shared challenges and mobilise financing in cooperation with donor institutions such as the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and the World Bank.

 

“Jordan is determined to exploit and maximise available opportunities and to push cooperation forward,” he said.

 

Bashir described Syria’s geographic position as a transit link between Jordan and Lebanon and said Damascus is working to rehabilitate affected grid sections to meet technical standards. He added that Syrian teams are already carrying out preliminary repair work and that the link with Jordan is in a high state of readiness.

 

Saddi emphasised that interconnection projects serve the interests of all three countries and can help open the door to wider economic cooperation.

 

Energy cooperation among the three countries has a long history. Jordan and Syria first connected their electricity grids in 2001, but the link was suspended in 2012 as conflict intensified in Syria. In 2022, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria signed agreements aimed at supplying Lebanese power needs through Syrian territory, but the initiative has faced financing hurdles.