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Saudi delegation visits Syria with major investments on the horizon
A high-level Saudi delegation composed of more than 100 investors arrived in Damascus on Wednesday, signaling a new era of economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and post-Assad Syria. According to Saudi state television Al-Ekhbariya, the delegation, led by Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, intends to secure deals worth around 4 billion US dollars (15 billion Saudi riyals).
The visit comes as part of a broader regional effort to support Syria’s reconstruction following the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, ending 14 years of civil war. The Saudi Ministry of Investment noted the organization of a bilateral forum to "explore cooperation opportunities and sign agreements that promote sustainable development and mutual interests."
In a major diplomatic shift, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to formally lift American sanctions on Syria. This move strengthens the growing thaw in relations between Washington and Damascus. Trump had announced the decision during his May visit to Riyadh, where he held a landmark meeting with Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Chareh. The Syrian leader had made his first international visit to Saudi Arabia in February.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia and Qatar pledged to help Syria repay its debt of roughly 15 million dollars to the World Bank, underlining a strategic realignment in the region.
Despite these promising developments, the situation in Syria remains volatile. Recent sectarian violence in the southern province of Sweida raised concerns about the government’s capacity to restore security. Clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes escalated into widespread bloodshed, prompting Israeli airstrikes against government targets.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that over 1,300 people, mostly Druze, were killed in the conflict. Israel, which hosts a significant Druze population, presented itself as a protector of this esoteric Islamic minority, also found in Lebanon and Syria.
