Syria and Saudi Arabia ink energy cooperation pact
A significant step towards rebuilding and modernizing Syria’s energy sector was made in July 2025, with the signing of an energy cooperation agreement between Syria and Saudi Arabia. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation across several key energy sectors, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, electricity generation, regional power grid integration, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy transition technologies, and the exchange of expertise in developing projects and regulatory frameworks.
The agreement was signed during a ministerial meeting held in Riyadh between Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Syria’s Minister of Energy, Mohammed Al-Bashir. The MoU focuses on boosting collaboration in oil supplies, electricity, renewable energy, petrochemicals, and regional electrical interconnection.
The agreement aligns with Saudi Arabia's broader economic engagement with Syria, including recent $6.4 billion investments aimed at Syria’s economic growth and reconstruction. A joint Syrian-Saudi business council was established, launching a five-year action plan to deepen economic cooperation, with energy being a key sector.
Since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024 and the formation of a transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria has undergone a political transition and implemented economic and political reforms. The new government has sought stronger economic partnerships, including this cooperation with Saudi Arabia. The energy agreement is expected to contribute positively by facilitating investments in energy infrastructure, which is crucial for Syria’s reconstruction and economic revitalization.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Minister al-Bashir met with several senior officials and discussed investment opportunities and plans to build partnerships to support the development and reconstruction of Syria’s energy infrastructure. The chairman of the newly established council, Mohammed bin Abdullah Abunayyan, announced a five-year action plan to deepen economic cooperation between the two nations on July 25.
The new administration in Syria has intensified efforts to build partnerships with regional and international players. The purpose of Minister al-Bashir's visit was to bolster bilateral cooperation and explore investment opportunities in oil, electricity, and water resources. Syria and Saudi Arabia signed the MoU on July 27 to strengthen bilateral cooperation in electricity, oil, and gas sectors.
While detailed quantitative impacts, such as improvements in energy production, GDP growth directly attributable to the agreement, or employment statistics, since the agreement's implementation are not explicitly reported yet, the full economic impact is anticipated over the coming years, supported by reforms and regional reintegration efforts initiated by the new Syrian administration after 2024.
- The energy cooperation agreement between Syria and Saudi Arabia, signed in July 2025, focuses on boosting collaboration in various aspects of the energy industry, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, electricity, renewable energy, and regional electrical interconnection, potentially contributing to Syria's economic revitalization.
- Since the signing of the energy agreement, the newly established Syrian-Saudi business council has launched a five-year action plan aimed at deepening economic cooperation, particularly in the energy sector, aligning with Saudi Arabia's broader investments in Syria’s economic growth and reconstruction.
