Syria and Saudi Arabia sign defence agreement and $403 million in loans
Syria and Saudi Arabia signed a defence cooperation agreement on Wednesday, alongside $403 million in concessional loans, during Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's second visit to the Saudi capital in less than a month.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversaw the signing. Syria's Foreign Ministry called the defence accord, concluded between the two defence ministries, the most notable of the deals but did not disclose its terms. The Saudi Fund for Development and Syria's Finance Ministry signed the loan agreements, which include $100 million to rebuild and equip damaged health facilities, $60 million to repair housing, $105 million to strengthen civil defence, $90 million to rehabilitate the Aleppo thermal power plant and $30 million for drinking water in Damascus and Idlib. Three memoranda of understanding cover industry, agriculture and environmental protection.
The agreement came days after Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Damascus was discussing possible entry into a mutual defence pact linking Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. Riyadh is also fighting a renewed war against the Houthis in Yemen, whose attacks have hit Saudi airports and oil facilities.
In a joint statement, the two leaders called for de-escalation and the peaceful settlement of disputes. They urged an immediate end to actions threatening navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Strait of Hormuz.
Algeria has consistently defended Syria's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and has called for political dialogue in Yemen rather than military escalation. The new Saudi-Syrian alignment shows how fast regional alliances are being redrawn as the Gulf conflicts spread. Respect for the UN Charter and non-interference, the principles Algiers invokes in such cases, will be tested as new security blocs emerge across the region.
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