Foreign ministers from Syria and Jordan, as well as a United States envoy have met in Amman to discuss ways to support the rebuilding of Syria under its new government, as Damascus seeks investment deals with international companies to revive an economy battered by 14 years of civil war.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that its top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani met with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack to discuss “ways of strengthening cooperation and coordination between the three sides” to serve Syria’s stability, “sovereignty and regional security”.
Damascus said the sides had agreed to form a working group “to support the Syrian government’s efforts to consolidate the ceasefire in [Suwayda] province, and work to find a comprehensive solution to the crisis”.
The Jordanian-Syrian-American meeting was a continuation of discussions held between the officials in Amman on July 19 about deadly clashes in the Druze-majority Syrian province of Suwayda, where a week of sectarian violence killed 1,400 people before a ceasefire put an end to the bloodshed. Israel carried out strikes on Syrian troops and also bombed the heart of the capital, Damascus, under the pretext of protecting the Druze.
Syria’s minority communities have expressed concerns for their safety since December, when a lightning rebel offensive toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who had projected himself as a protector of minority groups.
While the new Syrian authorities have repeatedly stated their intent to protect all of the country’s ethnic and religious groups, the killing of more than 1,700 mostly Alawite civilians along the coast in March and the violence in Suwayda have brought the issue of sectarian tensions to the fore.
Jordan expresses support for Syria’s reconstruction efforts
Following Tuesday’s meeting, Syria, the US and Jordan released a joint statement regarding Suwayda, saying that it is “an integral part of the Syrian Arab Republic, and that the rights of its people are protected and preserved in the process of rebuilding the new Syria toward a secure and accomplished future for all citizens of the Syrian state, ensuring their representation and participation in building Syria’s future.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II separately met with al-Shaibani and Barrack, expressing his “support for Syria’s efforts to preserve its security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity”, said a statement from the Jordanian government.
It noted “the importance of Washington’s role in supporting the reconstruction process in Syria in a manner that preserves the rights of all Syrians”.
The king also said Jordan was ready “to share its expertise in all fields to help develop and strengthen the capabilities of Syrian institutions” and “noted the need to step up Jordanian-Syrian cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and preventing arms and drug smuggling”, the statement added.
According to the Syrian statement, the foreign ministers’ meeting welcomed Damascus’s efforts to “restore basic services, hold perpetrators of violations to account, and prepare the conditions for the return of displaced people to their homes”.
Syria’s new authorities have worked to attract investment for the reconstruction of infrastructure across the country after the United States and European Union lifted sanctions on Syria in the wake of al-Assad’s ouster.
The United Nations has put Syria’s post-war reconstruction costs at more than $400bn.
Damascus signed 12 agreements worth $14bn last week, including a $4bn agreement with Qatar’s UCC Holding to build a new airport and a $2bn deal to establish a subway in Damascus with the national investment corporation of the United Arab Emirates.
Other major developments on the investment front include the $2bn Damascus Towers project for residential high-rises, signed with the Italian-based company UBAKO; a $500m deal for the Baramkeh Towers project, also in Damascus; and another $60m agreement for Baramkeh Mall.
Last month, Saudi Arabia said it would invest about $3bn in real estate and infrastructure projects in Syria.
In May, Damascus signed a $7bn energy deal with a consortium of Qatari, Turkish and US companies as it seeks to revive its crippled power sector.
