Enab Baladi – Mowaffak al-Khouja
The relations between Jordan and Syria extend beyond mere neighboring states; Jordan aims to play a role on the geopolitical map of Syria and serve shared political, security, and economic issues.
This is evidenced by Jordan’s notable presence at international events related to Damascus, as well as multiple visits between the two countries following the fall of the previous Syrian regime, which recently led to the formation of the Higher Coordination Council.
A series of visits
Jordanian-Syrian relations went through several turning points during the rule of the previous regime, with a significant stagnation over the past ten years due to the repressive policies of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad toward the Syrian revolution against him.
These policies distanced al-Assad from his regional surroundings and expelled him from the Arab League, but Jordan was among the most prominent advocates for his return to the Arab fold, due to the interconnected issues between the two countries.
After the fall of the regime, Amman hastened to communicate with the new rulers in Damascus, with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi being the first Arab minister to arrive in the Syrian capital on December 23, 2024.
Less than a month after Safadi’s visit to Damascus, his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, visited Amman on January 7.
For his part, Syrian President for the transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, visited King Abdullah II of Jordan for about two hours on February 26 in the Jordanian capital.
A meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi – April 17, 2025 (Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Mapping the relationship
The repeated visits suggest Amman’s desire to establish its position on the political map with the new Syrian administration, according to researchers.
Jordanian political researcher Dr. Amer al-Sabaileh believes that Jordan is keen to develop its relationship with Syria and move beyond the concept of neighborliness, stating that there are clear messages indicating Jordan’s desire to engage with a new Syria in a different manner.
The messages mentioned by al-Sabaileh reflect the warm receptions received by diplomats and Jordan’s commitment to ongoing communication and participation in most Syria-related events.
For his part, Syrian political researcher Dr. Nader al-Khalil stated that the Syrian-Jordanian relationship, after the fall of the previous regime, will take an entirely different direction than before.
He pointed out in his conversation with Enab Baladi that Jordan has shown clear willingness to cooperate with the new Syrian government.
Seeking influence
Jordan may seek to establish a margin of influence within the newly forming Syrian entity, as researcher Nader al-Khalil suggests, while noting a type of fragility in this nascent body so far.
On the other hand, he mentioned that this does not imply Jordan’s desire to threaten or support the independence or separation of areas in southern Syria.
This remains true for most countries that have interests or influence in Syria, according to the researcher.
Al-Khalil stated that all these countries seek to gain centers or margins of power within the authority or to establish alliances with the new Syrian forces or government, especially in the southern part of the country.
For his part, al-Sabaileh noted that Jordan looks forward to a new reality in its relationships with Syria, whether through security, trade, or political relations with the Syrian side.
He added that Jordan, like other Arab capitals, such as Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, is interested in ensuring the success of the political process in Syria.
Higher Coordination Council
The most recent visit between the two sides, at the time of publishing this report, was Safadi’s trip to Damascus on April 17, resulting in the formation of the Higher Coordination Council, which is expected to hold its first meetings in the coming weeks.
The council includes various sectors, such as energy, health, industry, commerce, transport, agriculture, water, information technology, communication, education, and tourism, according to the joint statement.
Researcher al-Khalil commented that establishing a Higher Coordination Council between the two countries reflects their desire to develop and coordinate cooperation sustainably, which is the essence of the council’s formation.
It is understood from the formation of the council that there is an intention to make cooperation permanent through scheduled arrangements and joint committees dedicated to various issues.
At the same time,al-Khalil stated, “We must wait to see where things go from here.”
Shared issues.. Drugs and Islamic State
Syria shares a land border with Jordan that is approximately 375 kilometers long, connected by two border crossings. The first, “Nassib,” faces “Jaber” on the Jordanian side and is a commercial and humanitarian crossing, currently the only one operational.
The second crossing is the “Old Customs,” and on the Jordanian side “Ramtha,” which is closest to the city of Daraa in southern Syria, but it has been closed since 2011, with Jordan currently conducting maintenance.
Damascus and Amman share several issues, the most prominent of which are combating the Islamic State group and halting the smuggling of Captagon pills that proliferated during Assad’s rule.
Quintuple Council
One of the most important issues concerning Jordan is security, which involves border control and combating the Islamic State, as Syria’s stability enhances security for its southern neighbor, Jordan.
In this regard, Amman hosted a quintuple meeting of the neighboring countries’ ministers, including foreign and defense ministers, army chiefs, and intelligence directors from Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan.
One of the meeting’s outcomes involved “cooperation in combating drug and arms smuggling, organized transnational crime, and providing support to Syria in enhancing its capabilities in this regard.”
Researcher al-Khalil believes that Jordan has security concerns and thus prioritizes security cooperation with the new Syrian government, giving it particular importance.
On the other hand, al-Sabaileh said that Jordan is eager to have a capable partner that can play a role in security collaboration.
He believes that this partner, referring to Syria, will not be able to handle the drug issue or the Islamic State file alone; hence, the current process is one of building trust.
The American newspaper “The New York Times” warned on April 9 of this year that the Islamic State has shown renewed activity in Syria, regaining strength by attracting new fighters and increasing the number of its attacks, according to United Nations and US officials.
Ongoing Captagon smuggling
Jordan considers itself the mainland gateway for smuggling Captagon pills during the tenure of the previous Syrian regime, which was backed by Maher al-Assad, the brother of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad. This gateway was used to funnel drugs to many Arab and other countries.
Jordan has, for years, struggled with the issue of Captagon smuggling, sometimes resorting to clashes with smugglers on the Syrian side and conducting airstrikes on their centers.
After the fall of the regime, the activity of Captagon smuggling via Jordan continued, but at a reduced pace, amid efforts by the new authorities in Damascus to control it.
Jordanian researcher al-Sabaileh stated that drug smuggling operations coming from Syria have not ceased, hence the necessity for increased cooperation on this issue.
He pointed out that there have been developments in this file, including new smuggling methods and new players, making it a complex issue requiring fundamental solutions.
Trade activity
In addition to the security and political issues, the economic aspect occupies a significant space in the relationship, as trade activity between the two countries surged after the fall of the regime.
Jordanian exports to Syria rose by 520% in January compared to the same month in 2024, according to Jordanian media reports.
Amman also issued several decisions regarding facilitating the flow of trade between Syria and Jordan, especially for transit transport (cross-border transport), along with the resumption of flights to Damascus and Aleppo airports.
Political researcher al-Khalil believes that Jordan seeks to attain economic gains and to play a role in the upcoming reconstruction efforts in Syria.
It seems that Jordan is counting on the Jordanian private sector to take a prominent role in reconstruction projects in Syria and to achieve economic benefits from them, according to al-Khalil.
Damascus and Amman forge closer ties beyond traditional boundaries Enab Baladi.
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