On Wednesday, 5 November 2026, Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a defence cooperation agreement in Riyadh, securing over $403 million in loans from Saudi Arabia for Syria’s reconstruction, Al Jazeera reports.
The deal, signed during al‑Sharaa’s second trip to Riyadh in less than a month, is part of a series of agreements that include provisions for energy, housing, health and civil defence projects.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry described the defence agreement as the “most notable” of the deals offered.
“most notable”
— Syrian Foreign Ministry.
The Saudi Fund for Development agreed to provide $403 million in loans under six development projects, covering energy, housing, healthcare and infrastructure, according to the report.
Both leaders also called for de‑escalation amid heightened tensions about the Yemen conflict and the broader Mecca defence alliance, urging a halt to actions threatening maritime navigation in the Red Sea, Bab al‑Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.
Syrian political researcher Ahmed Qassem told Al Jazeera that al‑Sharaa’s second swift visit “indicates the magnitude of the security challenges in the region” and that Syria should join the Mecca alliance as a deterrence force, according to the outlet.
“indicates the magnitude of the security challenges in the region”
— Ahmed Qassem.
The meeting took place during al‑Sharaa’s outreach to Saudi Arabia, with the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al‑Shaibani publicly weighing potential membership in the Saudi–Turkiye–Pakistan Mecca defence pact at Bahrain’s Manama Dialogue security conference.
No other outlets have reported the agreement, making Al Jazeera the sole source covering the details at this time.
