DAMASCUS, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Syrian energy chief Mohammed al-Bashir on Monday called for investment in Syria's war-battered energy sector.

"It is no secret that we are facing enormous challenges in the energy sector, foremost among them the dilapidated infrastructure left behind by long years of war in Syria," al-Bashir said at the opening of the 6th Syria International Exhibition for Petroleum, Energy, and Mineral Resources, a four-day event attended by more than 100 companies from 12 countries.

"This reality creates promising opportunities for investment in every field -- from exploration to drilling, transport, discharge, generation, and distribution," al-Bashir said.

Noting that Syria possesses substantial reserves of oil, gas, and mineral wealth, al-Bashir said the country attaches great importance to the energy sector "by strengthening exploration, updating production techniques, adopting innovative solutions, and continuously striving for the optimal investment of our natural resources."

"This is essential to achieving energy security and boosting our export and development capacities," he said. ■