ع
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with his Turkish and Syrian counterparts in New York, where the agenda centered on expanding collaboration across economic and commercial fields while addressing mutual concerns that affect stability across the Middle East. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the meeting at the Turkish House, providing a venue for the three diplomats to review opportunities that could drive growth and prosperity for their populations. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the participants examined mechanisms to intensify coordination against common challenges, with an emphasis on sustained consultation to advance security and development goals. This gathering reflects the deepening engagement among the three nations since the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024, when Syria began reintegrating into regional diplomatic channels.
A joint statement issued after the discussions highlighted promising avenues for boosting trade and investment that serve the interests of all three countries, building on existing momentum in bilateral ties. The ministers affirmed the value of ongoing dialogue to align positions on regional issues, ensuring continued efforts toward lasting stability. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani participated in the meeting while accompanying Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The talks come amid broader normalization trends, as Saudi Arabia and Turkey have both prioritized reconstruction support and economic partnerships with the new Syrian administration.
Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a key backer of Syria’s recovery, announcing a series of major investments that include a 7.5 billion riyal fund for airport development in Aleppo and substantial commitments to telecommunications infrastructure, a Reuters report from earlier this year detailed. These projects, which also encompass energy and real estate initiatives, form part of Riyadh’s strategy to foster long-term stability through economic integration. Turkish-Syrian trade has similarly expanded, with officials targeting an increase from around 4 billion dollars last year to 10 billion dollars through joint industrial zones and production partnerships, the Syrian state news agency has reported in recent months. The trilateral format allows the three sides to explore synergies, such as proposed rail links that would connect Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to facilitate goods, energy and passenger transport across the region.
Regional analysts note that the alignment stems from shared priorities in countering instability and managing cross-border threats that emerged in the post-conflict environment. A Turkish transport minister stated in June that plans for a railway network involving these countries could be realized within three to four years, with initial phases focusing on trade corridors to Europe and Gulf states. Such infrastructure projects align with the economic cooperation themes raised in New York, where the ministers sought to translate diplomatic progress into tangible outcomes. The meeting also fits into a pattern of multilateral gatherings on the UNGA sidelines, including a separate quadripartite discussion involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan that addressed wider regional tensions.
Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al Farhan, the Saudi Foreign Ministry’s political affairs adviser, attended the trilateral session alongside the principals. The discussions underscored the importance of sustained coordination to navigate evolving dynamics, particularly as Syria works to rebuild institutions and attract further foreign investment. Earlier Saudi investments in Syrian aviation and telecom sectors, valued at billions of riyals, have already begun to materialize through joint ventures that emphasize local participation and infrastructure upgrades. These steps illustrate how diplomatic meetings like the one in New York serve to reinforce practical collaboration on the ground.
