Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a plan: it's called Vision 2030. The underlying infrastructure of his visionary project calls for regional stability.
Syria had been in chaos and a deadly civil war beginning in 2011, but when the Assad regime fell, that opened the door to peace and stability. Saudi Arabia has reached out a hand to help Syria recover and prosper.
The Saudi $6.4 billion commitment to Syria is not just a financial investment, but is sign of the Saudi commitment to keep Syria from falling victim to Israeli plans of partitioning Syria into weak sections which can be exploited to benefit Tel Aviv.
Syria's Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir arrived in Saudi Arabia on July 26 for meetings with Saudi officials for talks on expanding joint initiatives in oil, electricity, and water management, as well as identifying new investment prospects.
On July 24, the Syrian-Saudi Business Council was announced during an investment forum held in Damascus. Mohammad Abunayyan, the council chairman, revealed a five-year action plan to deepen economic collaboration between the two countries.
"The council is being established at a critical time, as Syria prepares for a new phase that requires joint efforts to rebuild the country and restore safety, stability, and prosperity to the Syrian people," Abunayyan said.
The 2025-2030 goals are to promote economic cooperation, while shining a light on investment opportunities, partnerships and facilitating trade and logistics for exports of Saudi goods and services to Syria.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, met with Mohammad Al Bashir, Minister of Energy of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Both sides discussed joint opportunities across energy sectors and plans to revitalize the existing resources in Syria which have been neglected during the 14-year civil war. Oil, electricity, renewable energy and methods of energy efficiency were all discussed.
Investment opportunities in developing projects
The meeting resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support energy cooperation between the two countries. Areas of joint interests include oil and gas, petrochemicals, electricity, electrical interconnection, and renewable energy.
The signing followed the conclusion of the Saudi-Syrian Investment Forum 2025 in Damascus, which resulted in the signing of 47 agreements totaling $ 6.4 billion. This forum marked the beginning of what officials describe as "a new chapter" in bilateral economic relations.
Energy Sector and Technological Exchange
Saudi and Syrian officials emphasized cooperation in energy transition strategies and advanced technologies, alongside human capital development and innovation. During his visit, Minister Al-Bashir toured the Sudair Solar Plant, operated by ACWA Power. Spanning 36 square kilometers and featuring 3.3 million solar panels, the facility boasts a capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. Inspired by its success, Al-Bashir expressed interest in replicating such a model in Syria.
Investment Boom Across Sectors
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
