Damascus, Nov. 05 (SANA) Agreements and memoranda of understanding signed during President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh on Wednesday mark a new phase in Syrian-Saudi cooperation, with a focus on restoring essential services, rehabilitating infrastructure and supporting economic recovery.
The agreements build on closer ties between the two countries since Syria’s liberation on Dec. 8, 2024. Saudi Arabia was the first country President al-Sharaa visited abroad, accompanied by Foreign and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. That visit helped set the stage for diplomatic efforts to support the lifting of sanctions on Syria.
The latest agreements extend cooperation beyond diplomatic engagement, directing attention toward practical development priorities. They cover electricity, water, health care, housing and Civil Defense, as well as longer-term cooperation in industry, agriculture, environmental protection and digital transformation.
Development projects target essential services
According to information published by the Syrian Finance Ministry on its Telegram channel, projects financed by the Saudi Fund for Development form the core of the new package. They mark the first Saudi development financing directed straight to the Syrian state.
The projects include rehabilitating the Aleppo power station, supplying and installing 300,000 smart water meters in Damascus and Idlib, and constructing or rehabilitating 25 Civil Defense centers across several governorates.
The package further provides for the rehabilitation of damaged hospitals and health centers, along with 10,000 damaged housing units in an initial phase.
These projects address services directly affecting daily life. Upgrading the Aleppo power station is intended to support electricity supply, while smart meters will improve water network management and distribution efficiency. Rehabilitation of Civil Defense centers and health facilities will strengthen emergency response and medical services, while housing projects will help restore living conditions in affected communities.
The agreements also provide for the development of a digital transformation strategy, an implementation roadmap and the establishment of an office to oversee the process. The initiative aims to modernize public institutions, improve administrative procedures and service delivery, and strengthen the management of recovery projects.
Cooperation extends to industry, agriculture and Expo 2030
Alongside immediate service-related projects, the agreements establish frameworks for sustained cooperation in several economic and environmental sectors.
Under the industrial cooperation memorandum, joint working groups will be established for an initial five-year period, automatically renewable. The agricultural framework provides for meetings every six months, while the environmental cooperation memorandum sets out a five-year framework that can be renewed.
These arrangements are intended to facilitate the exchange of expertise and identify areas of cooperation in line with national priorities.
The agreements further provide for Syria’s official participation in Expo 2030 Riyadh, with exhibition space offered free of charge and additional support through programs run by the organizing company. The participation will provide an opportunity to present Syria’s economic potential and investment opportunities to an international audience.
A series of milestones in bilateral relations
The latest agreements follow a series of political and economic developments that have progressively expanded cooperation between the two countries.
President al-Sharaa’s visit to Saudi Arabia in February 2025 marked a major milestone in bilateral relations following Syria’s liberation. During his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the two sides discussed prospects for cooperation across political, security, economic, cultural and public service sectors. Al-Sharaa described the meeting as laying the foundation for a strategic relationship.
In April 2025, Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced that they would settle Syria’s outstanding arrears to the World Bank, amounting to approximately $15 million. The payment enabled the bank to resume its activities in Syria after a suspension of more than 14 years, opening the way for assistance and grant programs supporting reconstruction, institution-building and capacity development.
The following month, Saudi Arabia stepped up its diplomatic engagement in international efforts to lift economic sanctions on Syria. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan announced coordination with Washington on measures related to the issue and affirmed the Kingdom’s readiness to be among the leading supporters of Syria’s economic recovery.
In July 2025, Damascus hosted the Syrian-Saudi Investment Forum, which resulted in the signing of 47 agreements and memoranda of understanding valued at more than $6 billion. The agreements covered energy, tourism, industry, trade, real estate, cybersecurity and other sectors.
The forum brought together more than 20 Saudi government entities and around 100 companies, creating further opportunities for Saudi private-sector participation in investment and reconstruction projects.
Cooperation gained further momentum in August 2025 with the signing of an investment promotion and protection agreement and the opening of an office for the Saudi Ministry of Investment in Damascus.
An additional agreement and six memoranda of understanding covered electricity, petroleum and gas. Their areas of focus included developing transmission and distribution substations, drilling and maintaining wells, managing oil and gas fields, and advancing conventional and renewable energy projects.
Strategic investments expand in 2026
During 2026, bilateral cooperation broadened to include major projects in aviation, telecommunications, infrastructure, water and real estate development.
One of the most prominent initiatives is the Silk Link project, involving an investment of approximately $1 billion to establish a fiber-optic network extending around 4,500 kilometers, five data centers and submarine cable landing stations.
Other initiatives include the development of Aleppo International Airport, upgrades to the existing airport infrastructure, and the establishment of a company specializing in commercial aviation and air freight in Syria.
Water infrastructure has emerged as another area of cooperation. An agreement provides for studies to develop an integrated desalination and water transmission system, with a planned desalination capacity of up to 1.2 million cubic meters per day and a transmission network extending approximately 400 kilometers.
The project is intended to strengthen water infrastructure and improve the management and distribution of water resources.
Building a long-term development partnership
The latest agreements reflect a broader shift toward long-term development cooperation based on Syria’s national priorities. They create opportunities to expand partnerships with development and investment institutions and draw on Saudi expertise and resources to support sectors essential to recovery.
The different areas of cooperation are increasingly complementary. Large-scale investments in energy, telecommunications, transport and infrastructure are being accompanied by development financing for immediate public service needs, while sector-specific memoranda provide a framework for continued cooperation.
As relations evolve from diplomatic support toward investment and development partnerships, Syria and Saudi Arabia have growing opportunities to translate their economic and geographical potential into projects of mutual benefit.
The expanding partnership is expected to contribute to reconstruction, revive productive and service sectors, improve living conditions and create wider prospects for regional economic cooperation.
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