IRIA News

8 minute read

Syria and Jordan have signed 11 cooperation agreements covering trade, transport, energy, investment and food security, while establishing a joint investigation into Jordanian airstrikes that killed civilians in southern Syria last month.

The agreements were announced in Damascus on November 9, 2026, following talks between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani and Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

The meeting marked an effort by the two countries to strengthen their relationship after a rare diplomatic dispute over the October 26 airstrikes in Syria’s southern Daraa province. Despite the incident, both governments reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation, with plans to expand cross-border trade, improve transport infrastructure and develop a regional railway corridor connecting Saudi Arabia to Turkiye through Jordan and Syria.

The agreements were signed at the conclusion of the third session of the Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council, which brought together senior ministers and technical delegations from both countries. Discussions covered 19 sectors, reflecting the expanding scope of cooperation since the two governments established the council in April 2025.

Proposed Railway Corridor to Connect Saudi Arabia with Turkiye

The railway agreement is among the meeting’s most significant outcomes, as it could eventually create a new regional transport corridor linking Saudi Arabia with Turkiye through Jordan and Syria. The proposed route would strengthen connections between the Arabian Peninsula and Turkiye while providing an additional land-based route for transporting goods across the region.

The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the two countries’ transport ministries on railway connectivity. However, signing the memorandum does not mean construction has begun or that a completed railway route has been approved. Further planning and infrastructure development would be required to turn the proposal into an operational network.

عقد وزير الخارجية والمغتربين السيد أسعد حسن الشيباني ونائب رئيس الوزراء وزير الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين في المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية السيد أيمن الصفدي، اليوم في العاصمة دمشق مؤتمرًا صحفيًا استعرضا خلاله أبرز مخرجات الدورة الثالثة لمجلس التنسيق الأعلى السوري الأردني، إضافة إلى الحديث عن ملفات التعاون الثنائي والقضايا ذات الاهتمام المشترك.

— وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين السورية (@syrianmofaex) November 9, 2026

The railway initiative is part of broader efforts to restore Syria’s transport infrastructure and reconnect the country with regional trade routes after years of conflict. Jordan’s geographical position makes it an important transit country, while Syria’s participation could provide a direct land connection between Jordan and Turkiye.

The agreements also cover investment, civil aviation, agricultural cooperation, public administration, education, higher education, scientific research, environmental protection, youth affairs and food security. A separate program for 2027–2029 will support scholarships, academic exchanges and cooperation between universities and research institutions.

Border Infrastructure and Trade Expansion

Improving the movement of goods and passengers across the Syrian-Jordanian border was another major priority. The two governments agreed to upgrade the Jaber-Nassib border crossing, their main gateway for commercial and passenger traffic, into a facility operating around the clock.

The modernization plan includes separate lanes for freight trucks and passengers, alongside electronic links between the customs systems of both countries. These changes are intended to reduce delays, improve border management and facilitate the movement of commercial shipments.

The two sides also reviewed a project worth approximately $47 million to rehabilitate the international highway connecting Nassib and Damascus. The road is an important transport route for trade between the two countries and could become increasingly significant if the proposed regional railway and wider transport corridor advance.

Additional discussions focused on establishing a joint economic city along the border, modernizing the existing free trade zone and reactivating the Syrian-Jordanian joint business council. These initiatives are intended to encourage investment, support businesses and create opportunities for economic activity in border communities.

Bilateral trade has nearly tripled over the past year, reaching $330 million, according to Al Shaibani. He said 20 of Syria’s 22 ministries were now engaged in direct cooperation with their Jordanian counterparts, reflecting the expansion of relations beyond traditional diplomatic and commercial contacts.

Al Shaibani also said the two countries had signed a total of 35 agreements and memorandums of understanding, describing Jordan as Syria’s leading partner in terms of tangible economic returns.

Joint Investigation into Deadly Daraa Airstrikes

Alongside economic cooperation, the meeting addressed tensions caused by Jordanian airstrikes in southern Syria on October 26, which killed seven people, including three children, according to Syrian authorities.

The strikes followed a deadly attack on a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate on October 23. Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church, killing nine people and injuring dozens. Jordanian authorities described the attack as an act of terrorism and attributed it to extremist ideology, and subsequently announced an air operation against locations they said were associated with Islamic State militants operating in southeastern Syria.

Amman said the October 26 operation was coordinated with the Syrian government and aimed at terrorist targets connected to the church attack. Damascus, however, disputed that account, saying the strikes hit locations in Daraa without prior coordination and caused civilian casualties.

The incident created a diplomatic challenge for the two governments, particularly as they had been working to strengthen security cooperation and rebuild relations following the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

During Monday’s meeting, Al Shaibani said the two sides had established a joint security and technical fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances of the airstrikes. The committee is expected to establish what happened and address the consequences of the operation. “Work is underway to redress the harm and compensate the innocent victims,” Al Shaibani said.

Safadi expressed regret over the civilian deaths and offered condolences to the victims’ families, emphasizing that the two countries should maintain their relationship despite the incident. “Syrian blood is as precious to us as Jordanian blood,” he said.

Both sides also discussed improving security coordination, particularly along their shared border. Safadi described drug trafficking as a shared threat and said the two governments were working together to combat smuggling networks. The security discussions also covered counterterrorism cooperation and the establishment of procedures to coordinate operations and exchange information.

عقد الاجتماع الموسع للدورة الثالثة لمجلس التنسيق الأعلى السوري الأردني، برئاسة وزير الخارجية والمغتربين السيد أسعد حسن الشيباني، ونائب رئيس الوزراء وزير الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين في المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية السيد أيمن الصفدي، وبمشاركة الوفود الوزارية والفنية من الجانبين، حيث تناول الاجتماع ملفات التعاون المشترك والعلاقات الثنائية في مختلف المجالات.

— وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين السورية (@syrianmofaex) November 9, 2026

Energy, Agriculture and Water Cooperation

Energy cooperation has already produced practical results, with natural gas flowing through Jordanian territory to Syrian power plants since January 2026. The arrangement provides Syria with an additional route for receiving gas supplies as it works to address electricity shortages and restore its energy infrastructure.

Al Shaibani also confirmed that Syria was prepared to facilitate the transit of natural gas to Lebanon through its territory. The issue was discussed in detail during a trilateral meeting involving Syrian, Jordanian and Lebanese officials in Beirut. The proposed arrangement could help restore regional energy connections and provide Lebanon with another potential route for receiving gas supplies.

Water management is another area of cooperation. The two countries have established a shared water data platform to exchange information and improve coordination over water resources. Their latest agreements also include a cloud-seeding project in the Yarmouk River basin, an area where water management is particularly important for both countries.

Agricultural cooperation featured in the discussions, with Syria offering to supply Jordan with surplus wheat and barley. The proposal could support Jordan’s food supply while providing Syrian agricultural producers with additional export opportunities.

The two governments also discussed the Darb Al Safa telecommunications project, which is intended to expand cooperation in digital connectivity. In public administration, they agreed to proceed with training a second group of 1,450 Syrian government employees as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s administrative institutions.

A new air services agreement was also among the outcomes of their expanding cooperation, alongside arrangements covering civil aviation and technical coordination.

Jordan Reaffirms Support for Syria’s Stability

The talks also addressed wider regional developments, particularly Israeli military operations and attacks in Syrian territory. Safadi reaffirmed Jordan’s support for Syria’s sovereignty, security and stability, calling on the international community to take action to stop Israeli attacks and prevent further escalation.

He stressed that Jordan’s security was closely connected to Syria’s stability and said Amman would continue supporting efforts to rebuild Syrian institutions and advance the country’s recovery.

The two foreign ministers also emphasized the importance of maintaining close political and security coordination, despite the recent airstrike dispute. Their statements reflected a shared interest in preventing the incident from undermining broader cooperation.

The Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council was established on April 18, 2025, as a permanent framework for coordinating government cooperation across sectors including energy, water, trade, industry, transport, agriculture and health. Its second session took place in Amman in April 2026, bringing together more than 30 ministers from both countries.

The third session in Damascus, held on November 8-9, represents another step in implementing that framework. The two governments are seeking to move beyond political declarations by developing practical projects covering infrastructure, trade, energy, and border security.