Syria, Germany launch reconstruction committee, sign air transport deal

Syria and Germany have taken a significant step toward deepening their bilateral relationship by establishing a joint committee focused on reconstruction and investment. This initiative, launched during a meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and a German delegation led by Minister of State Géza Andreas von Geyr, aims to foster economic cooperation and attract German investment into Syria.

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The two ministers also launched the inaugural session of the Syrian-German Joint Committee, establishing a new framework for cooperation in economic recovery, reconstruction, investment, energy, transport, civil aviation, transitional justice, missing persons and refugee issues.

The establishment of the Syrian-German Joint Committee marks a new framework for collaboration across various sectors, including economic recovery, investment, energy, transport, civil aviation, transitional justice, missing persons, and refugee issues. Alongside this, the two countries signed a bilateral air transport agreement, a move that is expected to facilitate direct flights between Syria and Germany. This agreement will establish the regulatory framework for air services, covering coordination between aviation authorities, designation of carriers, traffic rights, and operational requirements.

These developments occur in the context of Syria's recent diplomatic outreach, including hosting the French president and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of NATO. The German engagement signals Syria's broader strategy to garner increased European support for its post-conflict reconstruction and its new government.

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The accord paves the way for the operational phase, including coordination between the two countries’ civil aviation authorities, designation of national carriers, allocation of traffic rights and flight frequencies, issuance of operating licenses, and completion of the technical and security requirements needed to launch direct flights between Syria and Germany.

Syria's state media highlighted the rapid development of ties since December 8, 2024, when Syria was declared "liberated." In less than two years, the relationship has transitioned from renewed diplomatic engagement to building a substantial economic and institutional partnership. Germany's role as a major economic power is seen as crucial for Syria's recovery efforts. The report notes Germany's swift dispatch of envoys to Damascus after the fall of the Assad regime, culminating in the reopening of the German Embassy in Damascus on March 20, 2025, after a 13-year closure.

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These efforts culminated in the resumption of operations of the German Embassy in Damascus on March 20, 2025, after a closure lasting 13 years, marking the transition from political coordination to a direct diplomatic presence.