Saudi Arabia’s decision to resume Lebanese exports to its markets reflects a notable economic development in the region, with effects that extend to Syria, whose geographic location makes it a key link in land trade toward the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia announced on June 10, 2026, the resumption of Lebanese exports to its markets.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the decision came in light of positive steps taken by the Lebanese government in rebuilding state institutions, in addition to the work completed by specialized technical teams over the past year, and the cooperation and required commitments provided by the Lebanese side, according to the ministry.
The kingdom had suspended all imports from Lebanon in October 2021 after a diplomatic crisis triggered by comments made by Lebanon’s then Information Minister George Kordahi on the purpose of the war in Yemen.
Riyadh had also imposed a ban in April 2021 on importing Lebanese agricultural products, citing their use in drug smuggling.
Indirect Benefits
Abdul Rahman Mohammad, professor of finance and banking at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Hama, told Enab Baladi that the impact of Saudi Arabia’s decision to lift the ban on Lebanese exports would be highly positive for Syria, but indirect, and would include:
- Collecting transit fees, whether official fees such as taxes and customs duties on transit, or unofficial returns such as logistics services, as Lebanon depends on Syrian routes as its only land export artery to the Gulf.
- A revival of the service economy and the energy, maintenance, and banking sectors if transactions are normalized.
- The safe passage of Lebanese goods to Saudi Arabia through Syria would serve as an international quality stamp for the stability of Syrian territory, encouraging other investments.
Mohammad added that Saudi Arabia was a major market for Lebanese exports before 2021, especially for the agricultural sector, which was the most affected by the ban. The sector’s main exports include lettuce, potatoes, oranges, and apples.
The impact also extends to the food and industrial sectors, according to Mohammad, including chocolate, processed foods, soap, and inks.
Since the Saudi ban, Syria has not been able to fully replace Lebanese products in the Saudi market, for several reasons, most notably Lebanon’s advantage in exporting high value fruits. Syria was also under sanctions, which limited its ability to expand trade with Gulf countries.
As a result, the absence of Lebanese products did not create a major opportunity for Syrian exports as much as it created a gap in the market, which Saudi Arabia filled by importing from other countries such as Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey, according to expert Abdul Rahman Mohammad.
Regarding the main indirect economic gains Syria could achieve from increased trade movement between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, Mohammad said Lebanon is suffering from a severe economic crisis, but the Lebanese private sector has banking and logistics expertise. The resumption of exports, according to Mohammad, could push Lebanese companies to open representative offices or warehouses in Syria to consolidate goods.
Lebanese Saudi movement may also facilitate larger projects, such as resuming the flow of Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity to Lebanon through Syrian territory, projects that have long been affected by sanctions and instability.
Syrian Exports to Saudi Arabia
The university professor confirmed that there are no recent, stable official statistics covering the final quarter of 2025 or the beginning of 2026, as export activity is still in the restart phase.
However, based on Syrian production capacities and Gulf demand, expectations and preliminary data, according to Mohammad, indicate that the main Syrian goods headed to Saudi Arabia are agricultural products, primarily citrus fruits.
They also include industrial products such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, ready made clothing, some building materials such as cement and glass, and chemical products such as detergents.
Mohammad believes economic integration between Lebanon and Syria will outweigh competition between them through two main scenarios.
The first is industrial integration, in which Lebanese food industries, which have strong brands, can benefit from Syrian production inputs, such as using Syrian olives in Lebanese pickle production, or benefiting from Syrian ports to import some materials.
The second scenario is based on creating a joint export platform, by moving Syrian products from Damascus to Beirut for packaging and marketing under a Lebanese brand, or the reverse, to reach the unified Gulf market.
Three Recommendations
Expert Abdul Rahman Mohammad concluded by offering three key recommendations to Syrian economic decision makers:
1. Allowing Lebanese products headed to Gulf markets to pass through Syrian territory would generate economic returns and limit smuggling activity across the border.
2. Building truck parking areas and service centers at the Nassib and al-Aboudiyeh crossings would turn Syria from a mere corridor into a service destination.
3. Establishing a joint Syrian Lebanese free trade zone for consolidation and reexport to the Gulf would make use of lower labor and energy costs in Syria, alongside Lebanese marketing and financial expertise.
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