Syria and France Discuss Civil Aviation Development Under New Cooperation Framework

The Damascus Meeting and Its Agenda

Omar Al-Hasri, head of Syria's General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport, met on Tuesday with Jean-Baptiste Favre, France's chargé d'affaires in Damascus, to explore ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the civil aviation sector. The discussions covered several key areas:

• Exchange of technical expertise between the two countries' aviation institutions
• Human and institutional capacity building within the aviation sector
• Development of the sector's regulatory and technical frameworks in line with international standards
• Leveraging French expertise in aviation safety, operations management, and training
• Improving services provided to passengers and air carriers

Meeting Participants

The Syrian delegation included Amjad Nakhal, deputy head of the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport, and Rafat Kanno, director of the authority's International Cooperation Office. Sally Shoubat, director of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, also attended.

The Memorandum of Understanding with France

The meeting followed the signing, on 7 July, of a memorandum of understanding between the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport and the French Ministry of Transport. The memorandum aims to strengthen technical cooperation, facilitate the exchange of expertise, and provide technical support across civil aviation-related fields.

Both sides affirmed the importance of sustained dialogue and coordination between their respective institutions, with a view to implementing practical cooperation programmes that advance the sector's development and alignment with internationally recognised standards.

Objectives and Scope of Cooperation

The memorandum is designed to support efforts to rehabilitate Syria's civil aviation sector and raise its regional and international profile, while contributing to Syria's reintegration into the global aviation system, including the European framework. Areas of cooperation include developing technical and administrative frameworks, and drawing on French expertise in aviation safety, operations, and training to raise sector efficiency and meet international requirements.

Broader Context of Syrian-French Relations

These steps form part of a wider trajectory of diplomatic openness and technical cooperation between Syria and France following the political changes of late 2024. Both countries share an interest in stabilising and modernising Syria's civil aviation infrastructure and its regulatory architecture.