Damascus, July 7 (SANA) Syria’s geographic location could enable it to become a pivotal transit country for oil heading toward the Mediterranean, offering alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said Tuesday during a visit to Damascus as part of the official delegation accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron, according to AFP.
Addressing reporters, Pouyanné described the presence in Damascus as an “important initiative,” noting that Syria sits at a “crossroads in the Middle East” and that recent events in the Strait of Hormuz increase the importance of finding alternative energy transport routes.
Pouyanné recalled that TotalEnergies signed a memorandum of understanding with Syria, US-based ConocoPhillips and QatarEnergy in May 2026 to explore oil and gas in Syrian territorial waters. He said the purpose of the visit as part of a high-level political and economic delegation is to strengthen engagement with the Syrian government.
President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday at the head of a high-level economic delegation on an official visit to Syria.
During a roundtable meeting between Syrian and French officials at the People’s Palace in Damascus on Tuesday, President Ahmad al-Shara said Syria possesses a strategic location linking the Mediterranean to the Gulf and Iraq, and that the Strait of Hormuz crisis has highlighted the importance of safe and stable corridors.
Macron said the two sides had agreed to form joint economic committees to support reconstruction, affirming France’s readiness to strengthen confidence and cooperation in energy, banking and infrastructure.
The May 2026 memorandum of understanding between TotalEnergies, ConocoPhillips and QatarEnergy covers oil and gas exploration in Syria’s territorial waters. The agreement, announced during a visit to Damascus by then-French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire, marked a significant step in Syria’s efforts to attract foreign energy investment following the fall of the deposed regime.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis, triggered by the February 2026 US-Israeli-Iranian war and the closure of the waterway, disrupted global oil supplies and highlighted the need for alternative transport corridors. Syria’s Mediterranean coastline, with key ports including Tartous and Baniyas, has long been seen as a potential outlet for regional oil and gas exports.
Kh.A / Mzn
