Syria, Saudi Arabia deepen cooperation with parallel talks in Damascus, Riyadh

ISTANBUL

Syrian and Saudi officials met Sunday in Damascus and Riyadh for separate rounds of talks that underscored growing partnership between the two countries across humanitarian, development and agricultural fields.

In the Syrian capital, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed a Saudi delegation led by Royal Court adviser Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Rabeeah, who heads the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.

The meeting, also attended by Syria’s Emergency Management Minister Raed al-Saleh, reviewed dozens of planned relief and development projects covering health, education, housing and food security.

Earlier in the day, the Saudi team joined Syrian officials to inaugurate new initiatives backed by the King Salman Center in different parts of the country, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said.

Meanwhile in Riyadh, Syrian Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr held talks with his Saudi counterpart, Abdulrahman al-Fadli, on ways to boost cooperation in farming, water management and food production. The two agreed to set up a joint working group to map out future Saudi investments in Syria’s agricultural sector.

Badr pointed to opportunities in rehabilitating farmland, modern irrigation, poultry and livestock, while al-Fadli highlighted the potential of Syria’s competitive crops such as olives and dates.

The meetings come less than two months after Damascus hosted the first Syrian-Saudi investment forum, where 44 agreements worth $6 billion were signed, a milestone in the restoration of ties between the two countries.

‏Since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in late 2024, Syria’s new administration has pursued political and economic reforms while promoting social cohesion and working to expand cooperation with regional and international partners.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.