Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held talks with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, in Riyadh on Monday, as the two countries strengthened ties on security and economic matters.
The meeting took place as Syrian officials participated in a Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State group (IS) meeting, after Damascus was made the bloc's key partner in Syria.
According to the Saudi foreign ministry, the discussions between Al-Shaibani and Prince Faisal focused on the current situation in Syria, ways to bolster bilateral security and economic cooperation, and broader efforts to support the country’s stability and reconstruction.
In a post on X, Shaibani described his meeting with bin Farhan as "constructive and fruitful", saying relations between the two countries are characterised by mutual respect.
"Supporting Syria at this stage is a shared responsibility between regional and international countries," he wrote, saying that Damascus hopes to build "strategic and long-term relations" with Saudi Arabia for the benefit of both countries.
The meeting came as both countries finalised a series of investment agreements, part of a growing economic partnership aimed at rehabilitating Syria’s war-torn economy after years of isolation.
The agreements include a multibillion-dollar package through the Saudi-led Elaf Fund, targeting strategic sectors such as energy, aviation, telecommunications and infrastructure development, including plans for upgrading airports and building new fibre-optic networks.
Saudi officials and Syrian representatives described the economic framework as a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation that would help reintegrate Syria into regional markets and support job creation and reconstruction.
Prince Faisal and Shaibani "stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in ways that promote economic growth, stability and shared prosperity", the Saudi foreign ministry said.
Both countries are concerned with the continued threat of IS, which has carried out attacks on Syrian security forces and has also made the Saudi royal family one of its number one 'near enemies'.
The meeting took place as Syria formally joined the Global Coalition to Defeat IS, becoming its 90th member, according to a joint statement issued by the US and Saudi Arabia after the Riyadh gathering of senior diplomatic and defence officials.
The coalition welcomed Syria’s accession and reaffirmed continued efforts to defeat IS in Syria and Iraq, with members ready to work with the new Syrian government as part of the campaign.
Along with security operations against IS, the bloc also highlighted plans to reintegrate families from the al-Hol and Roj camps into their communities.
There has been renewed coordination between different members of the bloc in recent months, particularly between Syria and Iraq - countries that face IS insurgencies but have had frosty relations following the establishment of a new government in Damascus in December 2024.
Iraq is holding thousands of suspected IS fighters in custody, while the Syrian government has assumed responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps linked to the group following their recapture of the northeast of the country from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The coalition again called on countries to repatriate their citizens from Iraq and Syria, with hundreds of foreign fighters and their families still held in detention facilities, along with others caught up in the anti-IS drag net.
The statement welcomed a broader agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF, including provisions for a permanent ceasefire and the integration of the Kurdish-dominated group's militias and civilian bodies into state institutions.
The Syrian government will also take the lead in the national fight against IS, the statement added.
Regional powers were initially sceptical about Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the one-time leader of Syria's Al-Qaeda affiliate, who had proven to be a pragmatic and moderate figure since becoming Syria's new leader in December 2024.
Last month, Syria’s foreign ministry said Damascus remains committed to combating IS and preventing the group from establishing safe havens inside the country, calling on the US and other coalition members to support those efforts.
Sharaa's visit to Washington in November paved the way for Syria's admission into the coalition against IS.