Lebanese Premier Nawaf Salam announced “significant progress” on shared issues following his meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus on Saturday, where they discussed bilateral, regional, and international developments, Anadolu reported. Salam arrived in Damascus for a day-long visit, his second since assuming office last year, with his first visit having taken place on April 14, 2025. The SANA news agency reported that President Sharaa welcomed Premier Salam at the People’s Palace in Damascus, with ministerial delegations from both nations present. Both parties discussed methods to strengthen bilateral ties, enhance economic and trade cooperation to serve common interests, and boost security coordination to support stability and address challenges. Salam’s office stated that he led a delegation to Syria comprising Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Energy and Water Minister Joseph Saddi, Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bisat, Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny, and adviser Ambassador Claude Hajjal. During a press conference at Damascus airport before his departure from Syria, Salam affirmed that significant progress had been made in addressing shared issues, particularly in the economic, energy, transportation, and security sectors, and that tangible results are expected soon. He added that they also discussed challenges confronting both Lebanon and Syria, and committed to continuing political-level consultations and strengthening cooperation. To this end, he noted, the two countries would establish joint committees and intensify communication at the ministerial level. “We deliberated on the significant challenges confronting Lebanon and Syria amidst rapidly evolving regional developments on multiple fronts,” the Prime Minister further stated. The meeting also covered “following up on the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries concerning the transfer of convicted prisoners to Syria and determining the fate of missing persons in both countries,” Salam elaborated. In February, Lebanon and Syria signed an agreement for the transfer of approximately 300 Syrian convicts to their home country, an issue that originated during the years of the Syrian revolution. Syria announced the reception of the first batch of prisoners from Lebanese prisons a month later in March. Official estimates suggest that around 2,500 Syrian detainees are held in Lebanese prisons, constituting approximately one-third of Lebanon’s total prisoner population. Regarding Syrian refugees, Salam stated that discussions focused “on the necessity of continuing dialogue and cooperation to facilitate the safe return of refugees to their homes and to regulate Syrian labor in Lebanon.” Lebanese estimates indicate that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is approximately 1.5 million, with about 880,000 registered with the UNHCR. Beirut initiated a voluntary repatriation program for Syrian refugees in June 2025. Last January, Sharaa expressed that a majority of Syrian citizens residing abroad could return within the next two years. The Lebanese premier made his first official visit to Syria in April 2025, months after the war-torn country formed a transitional government following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
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