Damascus: President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ahmad Al Sharaa, today received Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, at the Presidential Headquarters in the People’s Palace, during his official visit to Damascus. Dr Al Zeyoudi headed a UAE delegation that included Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Dr Omar Habtoor Al Derei, Chairman of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, and Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of Emaar Properties and Eagle Hills, in addition to a number of senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of UAE companies.

Al Zeyoudi conveyed to the Syrian President the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, along with their wishes for further prosperity and development for the Syrian Arab Republic and its people.

For his part, President Al Sharaa asked Al Zeyoudi to convey his greetings to the UAE leadership and his wishes for continued progress, growth and prosperity for the UAE government and people. He affirmed the deep-rooted fraternal relations binding the two countries, their leadership and peoples, as well as the shared commitment to advancing sustainable development efforts to achieve further progress, development and prosperity.

The two sides, in the presence of Noura Al Kaabi,Dr Omar Al Darei, Mohamed Alabbar and Hamad Rashid Al Habsi, UAE Ambassador to Syria, discussed ways to continue constructive cooperation between the two brotherly countries in the fields of trade and investment.

During the meeting, Al Zeyoudi reaffirmed the UAE’s support for Syria’s economic recovery efforts.

Reflecting the UAE’s commitment to continuing the building of promising economic partnerships with Syria, the delegation accompanying Al Zeyoudi included more than 140 participants comprising senior officials, private sector leaders, and heads of companies and institutions operating in the sectors of trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, technology, agriculture and transport.

During the visit, Dr Al Zeyoudi held a series of bilateral ministerial meetings with Dr Mohammad Nidal Al Sha'ar, Minister of Economy and Industry; Talal Mahmoud Al Hilali, Chairman of the Syrian Investment Authority; Ya'rab Suleiman Badr, Minister of Transport; Basel Al Sweidan, Minister of Agriculture; Eng. Mohammad Al Bashir, Minister of Energy; and Abdel Salam Haikal, Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

The meetings focused on exploring prospects for strategic cooperation in priority sectors and establishing a roadmap to strengthen the economic partnership, building on the trade momentum achieved between the two countries over the recent period.

Non-oil bilateral trade between the two countries reached approximately US$1.4 billion in 2025, marking a record increase of 132.4 percent compared to the previous year. This exceptional growth reflects mutual trust and the shared determination to build a more interconnected and prosperous economic partnership.

Dr Al Zeyoudi affirmed that the visit embodies the UAE’s steadfast commitment to supporting the path of economic recovery and development in the Syrian Arab Republic.

He said that the development witnessed in non-oil trade between the UAE and Syria demonstrates promising prospects for elevating these flows to new levels, noting that “this qualitative leap in bilateral trade flows reflects the strength of commitment and the shared vision uniting the two countries, and confirms the promising opportunities for further trade and investment cooperation during the coming phase.”

Al Zeyoudi added: “The foundations upon which our future economic partnership is built are exceptional by every measure. Today, we have a promising opportunity to maximise the benefits of available capabilities, exchange expertise and success stories, facilitate greater investment and trade flows, and launch further joint projects and initiatives that deliver sustainable economic gains for both countries.”

During the visit, Zeyoudi and the accompanying delegation of business leaders and representatives of UAE companies participated in the First UAE-Syria Business Forum, attended by a number of Syrian ministers, senior officials and business leaders.

The forum reviewed available trade and investment opportunities and mechanisms to strengthen the foundations of long-term commercial partnerships, laying the groundwork for renewed strategic economic relations between the two brotherly countries based on a shared vision to build a prosperous future that brings wellbeing and prosperity to both peoples.