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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversaw the signing of a defense cooperation agreement and financial deals worth more than $403 million during Sharaa's visit to Riyadh on Wednesday.
The Saudi Fund for Development financing allocates $100 million to rebuild and equip damaged healthcare facilities, $60 million to repair housing, and $105 million to strengthen civil defense.
Another $90 million will go toward rehabilitating the Aleppo thermal power plant, while $30 million is earmarked for drinking water systems in Damascus and Idlib. The remaining areas of cooperation include emergency services and the digital transformation of government financial services.
Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra confirmed that the two countries had signed a separate defense cooperation agreement during meetings involving Sharaa, the Saudi crown prince, and Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. Neither government disclosed the terms of the bilateral deal.
Syria's Foreign Ministry described it as the most notable outcome of the visit, as Damascus also considers joining a wider regional military alliance involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed by the three countries in Mecca on Aug. 7, establishes a collective defense commitment under which an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against all three.
The agreement also provides a framework for closer military coordination, intelligence sharing, joint exercises, counterterrorism cooperation and defense industry collaboration. Its stated purpose is to strengthen collective deterrence and coordinate responses to security threats.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani confirmed that Damascus was examining possible membership during the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain on Saturday.
"Discussions are currently underway to evaluate Syria's entry into the Mecca alliance," he said, adding that Syria was an integral part of regional security and supported frameworks aimed at maintaining stability.
He also stressed the need for stronger joint deterrence and defense arrangements, while expressing support for Gulf countries facing missile and drone attacks.
The two leaders also examined the effects of military escalation on regional stability, international shipping, energy supplies and the global economy.
According to the Syrian Foreign Ministry, they called for de-escalation and peaceful dispute resolution, while demanding an immediate halt to actions threatening navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb strait and the Strait of Hormuz.
Alongside the security and financing agreements, the two governments signed memorandums of understanding on industrial cooperation, agriculture and environmental protection.
Ahead of Sharaa's arrival, Syrian Industry Minister Basel Abdul Hannan met Saudi Ambassador to Damascus Ghazi bin Rafea al-Anzi to discuss a proposed industrial cooperation memorandum.
The draft outlined plans to develop industrial cities and zones, improve production efficiency and product quality, and exchange expertise in industrial financing and project support.
Wednesday's visit was Sharaa's second trip to Riyadh in less than a month. During his previous meeting with Prince Mohammed on Oct. 6, the leaders discussed Syria's reconstruction, including plans to restore damaged infrastructure and essential facilities.
Sharaa also invited the Saudi crown prince to visit Syria.
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