Damascus, July 8 (SANA) Chairman of Syria’s General Authority for Borders and Customs Qutaiba Badawi held separate talks on Wednesday with Jordanian and Lebanese delegations to develop border crossings and enhance cooperation on customs, transport and trade, the authority said in a Telegram statement.
Syria, Jordan agree on Naseeb expansion, Daraa crossing reopening
Badawi met with a Jordanian government delegation headed by Interior Minister Mazen al-Frayeh to discuss cooperation on border crossings, including the planned expansion of the Naseeb crossing, the authority said.
Talks covered expansion of operational yards, creation of new lanes toward the Jaber crossing, and Jordanian development projects at the adjacent crossing to increase capacity and improve passenger and truck flow. The two sides discussed ways to address congestion on the Jordanian side during peak periods through enhanced field coordination and improved operational procedures.
The talks also covered rehabilitation of the Daraa–Ramtha crossing, with discussions on technical and administrative steps to reopen it to passenger traffic. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation on training border staff, including specialized programs in detecting forged documents, modern customs procedures and traveler management.
Security cooperation was also discussed, including border control coordination, information sharing and expertise exchange to combat smuggling and cross-border crime.
Border infrastructure exploring with Lebanon, transit facilitation
Badawi also met with a Lebanese government delegation headed by Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny to discuss enhancing border management cooperation and coordination, the authority said.
Talks focused on border crossing infrastructure, rehabilitation plans and challenges facing truck and transit movement, with agreement on practical measures to speed up transit and improve crossing efficiency.
Both sides stressed the importance of continued technical coordination between relevant institutions to boost bilateral trade and transit movement and serve mutual interests, with follow-up through joint committees.
The meetings come as Syria seeks to modernize its border infrastructure to boost trade and transit traffic following the fall of the deposed regime. The Naseeb crossing is a key link on the M45 highway connecting Türkiye to Jordan and the Gulf states. The Daraa–Ramtha crossing has been a traditional gateway for passenger movement between Syria and Jordan.
On June 18, Syrian Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Omar Hosari met with Rasamny in Beirut to discuss strategic cooperation on civil aviation and air connectivity between the two countries.
Kh.A / Mzn
