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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Syria’s relationship with Egypt “is not a luxury, but a duty,” calling for it to stay “on the right track.”
He made the remarks on Sunday during a meeting in Damascus with a delegation from the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.
Al-Sharaa opened his remarks by highlighting the historical and geopolitical dimensions of bilateral ties, saying that “throughout history, Syrian-Egyptian integration has always been essential to regional stability, economic integration, and strategic and security stability.”
"When there is Syrian-Egyptian rapprochement, it is not only the two countries that benefit; the entire Arab world grows stronger,” he added.
Al-Sharaa said Egyptian companies should take priority in contributing to Syria’s reconstruction, calling for Syria to “benefit from the tremendous expertise Egypt has built up over the past 10 years under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,” particularly in infrastructure and energy.
Al-Sharaa praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, citing Egypt’s economic growth over the past decade and saying Syria is ready to cooperate.
He said Syria is seeking to build partnerships in ports, offshore gas exploration in the Mediterranean, oil-sector rehabilitation, railways, and the rollout of fiber-optic links “to connect Europe with China via Syrian geography.”
He also underscored the importance of a shared “food basket” involving Syria, Egypt and Iraq to meet regional needs while avoiding the high costs of importing from other continents.
Al-Sharaa said the Syrian market is similar to Egypt’s and that dealings between the two sides take place “without any complications,” adding that the Syrian state will facilitate whatever it can to support Egyptian investment in the country.
He also thanked “the Egyptian people for their warm hosting” of Syrian refugees during the war, saying such hospitality “is consistent with the well-known generosity of our Egyptian brothers.”
Since 2011, Egypt has provided a welcoming environment for Syrian investment, with thousands of Syrian industrialists and businesspeople relocating there and rebuilding their businesses in key sectors.
According to figures from Syria’s Ministry of Trade, there are around 30,000 Syrian investors in Egypt who have established over 16,300 companies, in addition to 7,000 factories and workshops, with investments totaling billions of dollars.
The ministry also said 1,403 new companies and institutions were registered in the first half of 2025.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024, Syria’s new authorities have sought to improve economic conditions and rebuild ties with regional countries in an effort to attract businesspeople and investors.
Al-Sharaa sparked controversy last October after remarks in which he described Egypt and Iraq as “unsuccessful states,” while praising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Türkiye as “successful countries.”
The comments marked a second point of friction between Cairo and Damascus in recent months, after protests in Damascus featured slogans criticizing Egypt’s stance on the war in Gaza.
In an apparent effort to contain the backlash, Hussein al-Sharaa, the Syrian president’s father, said “any insult to Egypt is an insult to the Levant,” adding that Egypt is “the elder brother” of Arab nations.
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