Qatar and Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday a joint initiative with the United Nations Development Programme to provide $89 million in support to Syria to help sustain essential public services, a joint statement said.

The three-month package, funded by the Qatar Fund for Development and the Saudi Fund for Development, aims to ensure the continuity of essential public services by helping cover part of the salaries of government employees, the statement added.

In May, Saudi Arabia said it would provide, along with Qatar, financial support to state employees in Syria.

That followed an April contribution by both Gulf states to settle about $15 million in Syria's outstanding arrears to the World Bank.

(Writing by Yomna Ehab; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)