RIYADH: Syria and Lebanon agreed on a unified plan to develop transport and rail links and formed a joint technical team to oversee the work, as the two neighbors seek to improve trade and regional connectivity.
The agreement was reached during talks in Damascus between Syrian Transport Minister Yarub Badr and Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency, known as SANA.
The plan is intended to improve the prospects of attracting international donors and financing for joint transport projects, while reviving the railway network that historically linked the two countries. Badr said the rail connection would form part of a broader regional network extending to the Gulf, helping reduce transport costs and improve trade flows.
Syria has also been seeking international support for its rail network. In February, the Transport Ministry said it had agreed with the World Bank to allocate $50 million for vital transport projects, including financing for the purchase of 15 new locomotives. A study was also under way on maintaining existing locomotives. The sides also discussed reassessing the economic feasibility of a phosphate transport corridor.
