Syria signed a $7 billion energy deal on Thursday with a consortium of Qatari, U.S. and Turkish companies as it seeks to rehabilitate its war-ravaged electricity sector.

The agreement was signed at the Syrian presidential palace in the presence of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and U.S. envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack. It is expected to generate 5,000 megawatts, covering half of the country's electricity needs.