Syria, Jordan, and Turkey have formalized a new transport deal through a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding designed to strengthen regional connectivity and revive cross-border trade routes. The agreement, signed in Amman during a meeting attended by the transport ministers of all three countries, reflects a coordinated push toward deeper economic integration. At its core, the transport deal establishes a joint institutional and technical framework spanning land, maritime, and rail transport. It also introduces specialized committees and joint working groups tasked with aligning procedures and harmonizing policies across borders, ensuring that cooperation translates into practical outcomes.
Through this transport deal, the three countries intend to move beyond policy alignment and deliver tangible infrastructure and operational improvements. The memorandum sets out a plan to back commitments with targeted investment and digital upgrades aimed at enhancing efficiency and sustaining long-term collaboration. Authorities expect these measures to facilitate smoother movement of goods and passengers while simplifying border processes. By doing so, the initiative seeks to improve supply chain performance and expand trade flows between the participating nations. A structured three-year roadmap further defines the steps required by transport authorities, with a focus on transforming border crossings into dynamic hubs for economic activity rather than mere transit points.
A central component of the transport deal is the development of strategic corridors, particularly the “Middle Corridor,” which is envisioned as a key route linking regional markets and boosting transit trade. The railway sector has been identified as a priority, with plans to form a trilateral technical committee to assess existing infrastructure and outline requirements for future projects. Syria is already preparing a preliminary rail connectivity map to support joint planning. Among the flagship initiatives is the Hejaz Railway project, expected to connect Anatolia in the north with the port of Aqaba in the south and extend toward the Gulf, significantly improving the movement of goods and passengers.
The broader initiative also emphasizes modernizing the transport sector through streamlined border procedures, stronger links between ports and inland regions, and the adoption of digital transport management systems. Jordanian Minister of Transport Nedal Katamine said his country aims to strengthen its role as a regional logistics hub by developing multimodal transport, building modern logistics centers, upgrading border crossings, and expanding partnerships with the private sector. Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu highlighted the economic potential of activating the “North–South Corridor,” noting its role in increasing export capacity, revitalizing ports, expanding market access, and boosting transit revenues. He added that the cooperation framework could eventually connect to wider routes linking the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, and Europe.
