Lebanon and Syria Discuss Transport, Airport, and Border Crossings

During a government delegation visit to Syria led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny held a working meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Yarab Bader. The talks, which included senior officials from both countries' customs and transport authorities, covered a range of shared interests in land and air transport, border crossings, and logistics cooperation.

The discussions on land transport focused on the transshipment of goods loaded on trucks at the border. The two sides explored either reviving a 1993 bilateral agreement or adopting special facilitations for goods of Lebanese origin, aiming to ease commercial exchange and reduce operational and logistical burdens on the transport sector. They also emphasized the importance of activating existing bilateral agreements on transport, transit, and the movement of people and vehicles, alongside enhancing technical cooperation and expertise exchange.

Air Transport and Border Crossings

In the civil aviation sector, the meeting addressed prospects for cooperation on the project to operate the René Moawad Airport in Qleiaat. The tender process for this project is scheduled to be opened, given its significance for Lebanon's air transport infrastructure. The two sides also discussed reopening the direct air corridor between Beirut and Damascus, a route previously used that shortened flight times between the two airports by approximately ten minutes, improving flight and passenger movement efficiency.

Regarding border crossings, the Lebanese side presented a plan to relocate the Masnaa border center to a point closer to the Syrian border, replacing the current site which is about ten kilometers away. This move is intended to speed up crossing times, reduce congestion, and improve logistical procedures.

The reopening of the Abboudiyeh crossing was also discussed, after the two bridges connecting the countries were damaged during 2024. The Lebanese delegation noted that, following a previous request from the Syrian side, the Lebanese army, in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works, had constructed a temporary bridge, which has been ready since November 17, 2025. The Syrian side stated it is currently building a parallel bridge, expected to be completed by July of next year.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed to continue discussions on all these files through joint technical committees, which are expected to hold meetings in the coming period to activate bilateral agreements and enhance cooperation across various transport sectors.