Four Saudi-Syrian Agreements to Develop Roads, Postal Services, and Aviation

Saudi Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser said that four agreements were signed between Saudi Arabia and Syria, covering the sectors of roads, railways, postal services, and aviation, in a move that strengthens cooperation between the two countries in transport and logistics sectors.

Al-Jasser added that these agreements come at a time when regional connectivity and transport projects are attracting growing attention, particularly with the push to develop alternative land and rail routes that enhance trade and transport flows between the region, Asia, and Europe.

Syria and Saudi Arabia had previously signed memoranda of understanding to develop railways and road transport, with the aim of building capacity, exchanging expertise, and conducting necessary studies, thereby contributing to the rehabilitation of Syrian roads and railways and revitalizing transport and trade flows through Syria.

Last June, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed memoranda of understanding regarding the Saudi-Turkey railway connectivity project, passing through Jordan and Syria, paving the way for reviving a regional land and rail corridor linking the Gulf to Turkey and from there to Europe. This project is gaining increasing logistical importance amid challenges facing maritime shipping and supply chain disruptions, as land and rail transport networks can offer more flexible alternative routes for cargo movement.

The Saudi-Turkey railway connectivity project, if implemented, would revive a historical route dating back more than a century, when a railway line connected Turkey to Saudi Arabia via Syria and Jordan, with branches extending to Lebanon.

The Hejaz Railway began operations in 1908, with Damascus as a key hub of the network, which extended southward to Medina, while branches headed north toward Aleppo and Turkey, and westward toward Lebanon.

Historically, the line played a crucial role in transporting pilgrims and goods, before suffering extensive damage during World War I between 1916 and 1918, leading to its disintegration and the cessation of operations on the southern section extending to Medina.