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Syrian Economy Minister Mohammad Nidal Al-Shaar said bilateral ties with Qatar have historically been marked by stability and smoothness as strong fraternal relations that are now advancing with steady steps toward a new phase of fruitful cooperation and ongoing development across multiple fields. Al-Shaar made the remarks to Qatar News Agency on the sidelines of the World Investment Forum 2026 hosted by Doha in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development under the theme Investing in the Future. The minister expressed Syria’s desire to open wider horizons for strategic partnership and broaden the base of economic and commercial cooperation to bolster sustainable development and serve the shared interests of both peoples.
Al-Shaar highlighted the promising investment environment and opportunities in Syria as a fertile foundation for joint ventures in vital sectors of mutual interest according to the QNA interview. He underlined the commitment to removing all obstacles impeding investment and trade flows between the two countries. Syria’s active participation in the Doha event represents a pivotal signal of the country’s return to sustained engagement with the international community and resumption of its natural role in global gatherings QNA reported.
Recent Syrian-Qatari discussions have centered on bolstering financial and economic cooperation to advance recovery and development projects in Syria the Syrian Arab News Agency reported. Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh met his Qatari counterpart Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari in mid-October 2026 on the margins of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok. The conversations addressed Qatar’s support for financial reforms and a multi-donor trust fund for reconstruction coordinated with the World Bank to align funding with national priorities.
Qatar has demonstrated interest in key Syrian sectors including energy and infrastructure according to multiple SANA dispatches. A memorandum of understanding signed in May 2026 between the Syrian Petroleum Company QatarEnergy and international partners covers oil and gas exploration in Syrian territorial waters. Qatari firms are also considering substantial investments exceeding four billion dollars in the expansion and operation of Damascus International Airport as part of broader reconstruction initiatives.
The Syrian Investment Authority has engaged with Qatari ambassadors to ease investment procedures and arrange visits by businesses to evaluate opportunities and form partnerships with the local private sector a SANA statement indicated. These steps form part of Syria’s outreach to Arab investors to stimulate productive sectors and infrastructure in support of economic recovery following years of conflict. Arab News reported that such coordination aims to translate shared interests into tangible projects that improve public services and living conditions.
Al-Shaar has separately stressed the importance of upgrading obsolete production systems with new technologies while prioritizing labor-intensive industries to address unemployment an Oxford Business Group interview noted. Syria’s strategic location positions it as a natural transit hub connecting regional markets and trade routes which complements efforts to deepen economic integration with partners like Qatar. Public Authority data and regional analyses place growing emphasis on such collaborations to facilitate Syria’s reintegration into global supply chains and financial systems.
