DAMASCUS: Saudi Arabia is deploying substantial financial aid and strategic investments to expand its influence within Syria following the overthrow of long-time president Bashar al-Assad.
The kingdom has provided millions of dollars in assistance alongside major investment pledges aimed at drawing Syria into its political orbit.
Syria served as a battleground for external powers throughout its prolonged conflict, with Iran and Russia backing Assad while Turkey and the United States supported various armed groups.
Saudi policy expert Umar Karim stated that Riyadh’s primary objectives include keeping Syria within its camp and ensuring alignment on issues involving Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Iran.
The kingdom has actively courted Syria’s new leadership through diplomatic efforts, including facilitating a landmark meeting between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and former US President Donald Trump.
Saudi Arabia committed $6.4 billion in investment and partnership agreements to support Syria’s post-war reconstruction during July.
It also pledged alongside Qatar to settle $15 million of Syrian debt owed to the World Bank earlier this year.
Reconstruction efforts include rebuilding schools, hospitals, and bakeries while removing rubble from Syrian cities and providing 1.65 million barrels of crude oil for electricity generation.
Saudi medical teams have performed open-heart surgeries and cochlear implant operations across Syria since Assad’s ouster.
Thirteen-year-old Mohammed Hasram received prosthetic limbs through Saudi-funded programmes after losing his arms in an ordnance explosion.
Syria’s Emergencies and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh praised Saudi aid projects for strengthening the kingdom’s standing among Syrian citizens.
Teacher Ahmad Hood acknowledged that Saudi support is clearly helping rebuild Syria during an aid handover ceremony.
Some Syrians remain cautious, with Idlib shopkeeper Hamadi al-Rifai noting that investments are welcome provided they don’t bring political interference.
Expert Rabha Seif Allam stated that Saudi Arabia is attempting to fill the vacuum left by the ending of more than half a century of Assad family rule.
The kingdom aims to create a defensive line for the Gulf region by preventing Syria from sliding back into chaos or aligning with destabilising regional axes.
Saudi efforts also target the captagon trade, which became Syria’s largest export during the civil war and a major source of government revenue.
The kingdom hopes to completely eradicate the amphetamine-like narcotic industry by providing legitimate economic alternatives through its investment programmes. – AFP
