Damascus- The visit of the Saudi Foreign Minister came Faisal bin Farhan At the head of a high -ranking economic delegation to Syria in the context of the growing diplomatic movement seeking to reintegrate Syria into its Arab environment, and support its economy in the first stages of recovery after the lifting of US and European sanctions from the country.
In a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al -Shaibani, Prince Faisal bin Farhan announced yesterday, Saturday, that Saudi Arabia will, in cooperation with the State of Qatar, will provide joint financial support to advance the public sector in Syria.
The Saudi Foreign Minister stated that Saudi delegations specialized in the fields of energy, agriculture and informational will be visited Damascus During the coming period, with the aim of enhancing cooperation opportunities between the two countries in all fields.
For his part, the Syrian Foreign Minister affirmed Asaad Al -Shaibani Investment cooperation with the Kingdom would contribute to creating job opportunities in Syria, adding that “the Kingdom is interested in enhancing partnership with Syria and consolidating stability.”
Al -Shaibani stressed that the option of Syria is “economic sovereignty”, saying, “The strength of our partnership with Saudi Arabia lies in common interests.”
Strategic alliance
In turn, political analyst Abdel Karim Al -Omar considered the visit of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Syria as a “historic event”, as it has created a series of positive developments that the country witnessed recently after the Syrian President’s meeting Ahmed Al -Shara With his American counterpart Donald Trump The latter’s announcement of his country lifted the penalties for it, and the visit of the American envoy to Damascus recently.
Al -Omar explained in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net that the visit has great importance that does not only stem from its economic nature, but also the security and political, noting that the visit is a step in the framework of a strategic alliance that is built between the two countries after decades of estrangement, considering that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is “happy with changes in Damascus.”
The political analyst stressed that the two countries are heading to build sustainable strategic relations that include economic, political and security sectors, noting that this transformation falls within the framework of “a new, Arab -Turkish -Syrian regional axis that constitutes a pillar of broader regional stability, and enhances Syria as a regional balance center in The Middle East“.
Partnership and integration
For his part, economist Firas Shaabu believes that the visit is a clear indication of a strategic shift in the Saudi approach towards Syria that combines the political and economic dimensions, noting that the statements of the Syrian and Saudi ministers today have focused remarkably on the concept of “partnership and economic integration”, which indicates a long -term strategic orientation.
The expert added in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net that the Saudi visit may be the beginning of a larger path of economic and development initiatives in Syria, and it may later develop into actual participation in international conferences for the reconstruction of Syria, considering that the reconstruction is a file that is still in its beginnings, and it needs an appropriate environment and pressure from active countries to obtain financing from the donors.
Shaabu emphasized that Saudi Arabia, with its economic weight, represents a gateway to enter Gulf investments to Syria, while linking the support provided to structural reforms in the Syrian economy, explaining that this will be done through direct investments in vital areas, such as infrastructure, roads, airports, electricity, pharmaceutical and food industries.
He added that the telecommunications sector constitutes one of the most important investment opportunities in Syria, especially since Saudi companies have advanced experiences in this field, and in the field of reconstruction and construction as well.
Shaabu pointed to the potential role of Saudi Aramco in providing technical support related to the oil derivatives sector and the so -called “rehabilitation of Syrian oil fields” or even extending Syria with energy until the economic situation actually improved in the country.
In turn, the Syrian economist Asaad Al -Ashi said, “Saudi Arabia is credited and priority in Syria after the efforts it made in lifting the sanctions, and its contribution with The State of Qatar By paying the arrears of Syria at the World Bank, and launching an air and land bridge coinciding with the fall of the regime to deliver humanitarian and ambulatory aid, which makes the Syrian -Saudi partnership solid, deep and continuous to develop.
Al -Ashi pointed out in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net to the importance of cooperation between Saudi Arabia And diameter In support of the Syrian economy, noting that the two countries’ contribution to financing public sector salaries in Syria reflects a clear commitment to supporting economic and administrative stability in the country.
The expert said that June will witness successive visits to Saudi economic delegations to Damascus, in the context of strengthening the areas of bilateral cooperation and paying the wheel of investment in various sectors, which will be reflected directly on the lives of the Syrians by providing job opportunities and improving the living conditions.
Opportunities and facilities
In turn, the economist Firas Shaabu expected that the partnership with Saudi Arabia would reflect directly on the life of the Syrian citizen by improving basic services and creating job opportunities and pumping capital in the country, in addition to breaking the economic isolation in the country, indicating that the volume of investments is still limited and there is a need to stimulate more.
The expert did not rule out that these steps were accompanied by expected facilities for Syrian workers in Saudi Arabia during the coming period after years of restrictions, which will allow regular financial transfers to flow into the Syrian interior, and the banking system is active in the event of resuming the link with the “Swift” international system, which may contribute to reducing rates Unemployment.
Despite the positive expectations, Shaabu warned of great challenges that may hinder these investments, most notably the weak investment environment and the spread of corruption, as well as the deterioration of the infrastructure, but he pointed out that the Saudi visit constitutes a “strategic economic development” and a possible introduction to improving economic conditions.
He considered that the Syrian President’s visit to Kuwait is an additional reference to a wide Gulf openness to Damascus, which enhances the gradual return of Syria to the Arab incubator through an integrated political path.