DAMASCUS — Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan affirmed on Saturday from Damascus that the Kingdom will be at the forefront of nations supporting Syria's reconstruction and economic revival. Speaking alongside his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shibani, the minister also announced a joint Saudi-Qatari initiative to fund public sector salaries in Syria. "Saudi Arabia will remain one of the leading countries standing beside Syria in its journey of reconstruction and economic revival," Prince Faisal said during a joint press conference in Damascus. He confirmed that Riyadh and Doha will provide financial support for Syrian civil servants, signaling a new phase in bilateral cooperation. The visit follows U.S. President Donald Trump's recent announcement in Riyadh to lift economic sanctions on Syria, clearing the way for long-delayed economic recovery efforts after 14 years of devastating conflict. Prince Faisal, who led a high-level Saudi economic delegation, met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus alongside Al-Shibani, where the two performed prayers. Syria's foreign minister expressed gratitude for the Kingdom's role in lobbying for the lifting of U.S. sanctions, calling it "instrumental in opening the door to economic normalization." Al-Shibani confirmed that the two countries are entering a "strong phase of joint investment and economic cooperation," including infrastructure rebuilding, agricultural revival, and job creation. As part of the growing economic engagement, Saudi investors are expected to visit Damascus soon, with discussions underway on potential trade, investment, and development partnerships. In a significant financial gesture, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also jointly cleared Syria's outstanding $15 million debt to the World Bank. Damascus is banking on this renewed regional backing to launch its economic recovery, following a war that killed over half a million people and crippled its economy. According to a February report by the United Nations, the cumulative GDP losses due to the conflict are estimated at $800 billion. The sanctions, imposed largely in response to the former Assad regime's crackdown on peaceful protests in 2011, had severely restricted Syria's access to international markets and funding. With those restrictions now lifted, Syria is seeking to reintegrate into regional economic frameworks with help from Gulf partners.
