Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced that the country is poised to sign multiple economic agreements with France during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron.
These agreements are anticipated to facilitate French involvement in Syria’s reconstruction, particularly within the infrastructure and financial sectors.
Al-Sharaa emphasised the urgent need for advanced French technologies to bolster state institutions, highlighting that rebuilding Syria necessitates substantial investments in energy, industry, human resources, and infrastructure.
Franco-Syrian Relations
This visit marks Macron’s first official trip to Syria since 2009, heralding a new chapter in Franco-Syrian relations characterised by mutual respect and equality.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al Shaibani welcomed Macron upon his arrival at Damascus International Airport.
Aviation, Tourism, and Agriculture
In a recent interview, al-Sharaa underscored the significance of Macron’s visit as a pivotal moment in bilateral ties, commending France’s positive role in advocating for the lifting of sanctions and fostering Syria’s reintegration into the international community.
Syria is positioning itself as a key transit corridor for aviation and on-the-ground transportation, especially following the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
For Iraq, Syria has emerged as another option. Since late March, convoys of hundreds of tanker trucks have carried Iraqi oil across the Syrian border, via Al-Waleed and Al-Tanf crossings, for maritime shipment to European buyers.
The UAE has sent similar shipments overland through Syria although alternative pipelines and maritime routes, connecting Abu Dhabi-Fujairah, has sustained exports.
Banking Sector
President Macron confirmed this on Tuesday, marking France’s commitment to “rebuilding Syria’s banking sector.”
“We ‌want ​to ‌continue working on ‌the restructuring of the banking sector,” said Macron ‌at a news conference alongside the Syrian President . France was working on helping the Syrian central bank, Macron added.
The comments come as Visa and Mastercard restarted payments earlier in May, after a 15 year hiatus, signalling confidence in the country’s financial infrastructure despite ongoing challenges around security, property rights, and institution-building.
The Syrian leader stated that Syria has managed to address numerous challenges, including dismantling drug networks and is steadily making headway in rebuilding its institutions and fostering strong international relationships with the EU-27, Washington, and the GCC.
Syrians Return Home
The French President highlighted a significant decrease in outward migration, attributing this shift to improvements since the previous regime.
Macron reported that 1.5M displaced Syrians have returned home under the new regime.
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