WASHINGTON DC - Syria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, said Damascus could become a regional energy hub if the country’s diverse components unite under strong governance and jointly manage resources across different regions.
Olabi said Syria’s potential lies in combining its varied assets, including ports, oil, agriculture, and other natural resources, while building effective institutions and legal frameworks.
“The way Syria would become a regional hub for energy is first and foremost with the different Syrian components coming together and working together for a united, strong Syria that shares its different resources,” he said, adding that good governance, structure, and laws are essential to unlocking that potential.
Parts of Syria’s oil resources are located in the northeast, areas previously controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Olabi praised Kurdish leadership and the SDF for what he described as a “brave decision” to move toward integration with the Syrian government, saying the process would ensure Kurdish communities benefit from state recognition, resources, and cultural rights.
“I salute the bravery of many of the Kurdish people, of Kurdish leadership, the SDF, for taking the brave decision that protects Kurdish rights and make sure that they get all the benefits that a state gives,” he said.
Olabi added that Damascus has already begun outreach efforts in the northeast, noting that ministers have traveled to the region and government agencies are responding to ongoing flooding there. He said such engagement reflects the government’s vision of “one strong, united Syria for all its components.”
On Kurdish rights, Olabi said Syrian leadership has committed to addressing longstanding grievances inherited from the previous government.
He pointed to a presidential decree he described as granting “historical rights” and said Kurdish representatives are involved in institutions such as transitional justice and electoral bodies.
“Since day one, President [Ahmed] al-Sharaa has said… when it comes to Kurdish rights, no one drop of blood needs to be spilt,” Olabi said, adding that engagement with Kurdish figures is continuing in what he described as an expedited process.
He said continued dialogue and integration efforts would ensure equitable access to resources and governance structures for all Syrian communities.