Damascus (AFP) – Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Damascus on Saturday at the head of an economic delegation, the Syrian Foreign Ministry announced. The visit, according to Riyadh, aims to discuss ways to enhance cooperation, particularly supporting Syria's economy.
Saudi Arabia is the most prominent regional supporter of the new administration in Damascus. US President Donald Trump announced from Riyadh in May the lifting of economic sanctions imposed since the outbreak of the conflict, a step that paves the way for economic recovery.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry reported that Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani received his Saudi counterpart "at the head of a high-level delegation" upon his arrival at Damascus International Airport.
The two sides are scheduled to hold a press conference on Saturday afternoon.
According to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, bin Farhan will meet with al-Sharaa, and "the high-level economic delegation will hold a consultation session with their Syrian counterparts" to discuss "ways of joint action that contribute to supporting Syria's economy and strengthening the building of government institutions."
Saudi Arabia was the destination of al-Sharaa's first foreign visit since assuming power. It also paid off Syria's debt to the World Bank, amounting to approximately $15 million, along with its main backer, Qatar, in a move welcomed by Damascus.
Following the lifting of Western sanctions, particularly the US, Damascus is counting on the support of its allies and the international community to launch the economic recovery and reconstruction process, 14 years after the outbreak of a devastating conflict that has claimed the lives of more than half a million Syrians.
The years of conflict have exhausted the Syrian economy and depleted its resources. In a report issued in February, the United Nations estimated the total losses in the gross domestic product at approximately $800 billion.
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