LONDON: President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan explored ways to enhance and develop cooperation across various fields during a meeting in Riyadh.
Al-Sharaa arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to participate in the ninth Future Investment Initiative conference, which runs until Thursday and gathers world leaders and ministers.
The two parties also discussed opportunities for economic cooperation in the energy, industry, infrastructure, and technology sectors, as Syria aspires to achieve economic stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani, and Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, the Saudi minister of state and member of the Council of Ministers, attended the meeting.
In a separate meeting, Al-Sharaa discussed various aspects of security collaboration, economic cooperation, and regional and international development with Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif.
He also met Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, along with Al-Shaibani and the Syrian Minister of Economy Mohammad Nidal Al-Shaar, to discuss investment, development, and reconstruction partnerships with Saudi Arabia, as well as efforts to support Syria’s economic recovery.
Al-Sharaa is to speak at the FII9 conference and meet representatives from international investment firms to discuss cooperation and regional economic growth.
The official visit includes discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Launched in 2017, the FII — often referred to as “Davos in the Desert” — has become a key platform for Saudi Arabia to showcase its economic diversification strategy under Vision 2030.
This year’s event, which runs until Oct. 30, brings together global policymakers, investors, and corporate leaders to discuss trends shaping the world economy and explore partnerships across emerging industries.
