Luxembourg, 18/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) is granting a 100 million euro loan in the health sector in Syria. It is the first operation in the sector in a partner Mediterranean country. The loan will be granted to the health ministry and enable Syria to carry out its modernisation programme in the health sector: equipment and furnishing of fifteen hospitals throughout the country, better access to acute and elective hospital services. The loan is being granted in the framework of the second Euro-Mediterranean mandate handed to the EIB (2000-2006) and will be carried out in close co-operation with the Commission. It is the EIB's third loan to Syria since operations resumed in 2000 and 2001, with two loans for the country's electricity sector totalling 190 million euro.