Economic Revival and Facilitation: Will Trade Between Syria and Jordan Return to Its Former Glory?

Syria has long been a vital strategic and economic depth for Jordan, a relationship deeply intertwined with the kingdom’s regional stability and prosperity. 

However, this crucial lifeline suffered a significant blow with the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, as the flow of trade between the two countries plummeted dramatically.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, Jordan moved swiftly to offer significant trade incentives with Syria, even accelerating investment contracts during this pivotal phase.

The Jordanian Free Zones Investors Commission reported in early April 2025 that the number of contracts signed within the Syrian-Jordanian Free Zone had reached 88 investment and operational agreements since its reopening at the beginning of the year.

Economic Revival

Sharaf al-Din al-Rifai, Vice President of the Jordanian Free Zones Investors Commission, revealed that the contracts were distributed between 78 agreements for the original section of the Joint Free Zone and 10 for the newly expanded area, according to the Jordanian news outlet, al-Mamlaka.

Al-Rifai further noted that over 800 investors are awaiting the necessary approvals to begin their operations, having already submitted applications to invest and operate within the zone.

The Jordanian official emphasized that the Joint Free Zone is experiencing a highly active level of commercial activity across all sectors, highlighting that the commission is working in coordination with relevant authorities in both countries to streamline procedures and stimulate trade flows.

The free zone, established in 1975, spans 6,500 dunams of Jordanian land and stretches along the Jaber-Nasib border crossing. 

It operates under the economic laws of Syria, in accordance with an agreement between the two nations.

This Jordanian drive to reopen economic ties with Syria, which is cautiously stepping towards recovery amid a shattered infrastructure and a severe energy supply deficit, follows the establishment of a new political relationship between Amman and Damascus.

On February 26, 2025, Jordan’s King Abdullah II hosted Syrian transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the capital, where the two leaders discussed border security, efforts to curb the smuggling of weapons and drugs, and the conditions necessary for the return of Syrian refugees, according to a statement from the royal court.

This followed a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad to Amman on January 7, 2025, where he met with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, to discuss border issues, the dangers of drug and arms smuggling, terrorism, and the threats posed by ISIS.

During their meeting, the two ministers announced the formation of joint committees between the two countries to focus on energy, healthcare, trade, and water.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi was the first Arab official to visit Damascus on December 23, 2024, following al-Assad's fall. 

During his visit, he met with al-Sharaa at the presidential palace and later affirmed his country's readiness to assist in Syria’s reconstruction.

Jordan shares a 375-kilometer land border with Syria and has thwarted numerous drug and arms smuggling operations during al-Assad's rule, capturing or killing dozens of smugglers in the process.

The two countries also share two major border crossings: the Old Customs on the Syrian side, which faces the Ramtha crossing on the Jordanian side, and Nasib, which faces Jaber.

Following the fall of the ousted al-Assad regime, Jordan swiftly moved to ease the entry of Syrians into its airports from all around the world.

Jordan has become a key land transit point for Syrians, with the Jaber crossing serving as a gateway to their homeland via the Nasib crossing on the Syrian side.

In January 2025, Jordan sent approximately 300 tons of humanitarian aid to Syria. Additionally, the kingdom resumed flights to Damascus International Airport, operating early air services shortly after the fall of al-Assad’s regime.

Syria has long been an important trading partner for Jordan, but in the final years of al-Assad's rule, trade between the two nations declined sharply, falling from $617 million in 2010 to just $146.6 million in 2023.

Since the end of January 2025, Jordan's Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply has announced the resumption of operations at the Joint Free Zone, with trucks carrying a variety of goods now crossing into Syria.

According to Dhaifallah Abu Aqoula, head of the Jordanian Customs Clearance and Freight Companies Association, the Jordanian Customs Department now handles approximately 650 trucks daily at the Jaber border crossing, compared to just 200 trucks on December 7, 2024, one day before the fall of al-Assad’s regime.

In a statement to the press on January 27, 2025, Abu Aqoula noted that nearly 9,000 trucks have crossed from Jordan into Syria since the beginning of the month, including 4,000 carrying Jordanian exports such as cement, furniture, and other goods.

In contrast, Syria’s General Authority for Land and Maritime Ports announced on January 23, 2025, that production lines and machinery would be exempt from all customs duties stipulated under the current tariff.

The exemption will remain in place for two years, starting from the date of the decision, according to a report by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

Investment Growth

In this context, Sharaf al-Din Al-Rifai, Vice President of the Jordanian Free Zones Investors Commission, believes that "the investment rates in the free zone with Syria are highly competitive, which strengthens the sustainability of investment and encourages more investors to expand their operations."

In statements made in early February 2025, al-Rifai explained that investors are currently focusing on stockpiling goods, taking advantage of the absence of transit fees on the Syrian side. This provides them with a significant logistical advantage, helping to reduce operational costs.

He pointed out that operating the Syrian-Jordanian Free Zone benefits the Jordanian economy, noting that it helps stimulate cargo handling activities at the Aqaba ports, which in turn supports the operation of Jordan’s transport fleet, reinforcing the country's role as a regional hub for trade and transportation.

Al-Rifai also urged for the facilitation of Syrian investors' entry through the Jaber border crossing, emphasizing that this would enhance investment opportunities within the kingdom.

Jordan hopes to restore trade flows through its territory to the Gulf states overland to Turkiye, and vice versa, via the Bab al-Hawa crossing in the Idlib countryside, located on the Turkish border.

On January 23, 2025, Jordan's Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply, Yarub Qudah, confirmed that ongoing and intensified efforts are being made to develop cooperation with Syria, with a focus on providing support to the Syrian people, independent of economic interests.

The Jordanian minister highlighted efforts to create the right developmental conditions and leverage Jordan’s strategic location to serve as a hub for economic cooperation and trade exchange with Syria. He emphasized the importance of providing the necessary infrastructure to contribute to the country's reconstruction efforts.

He also addressed the significance of removing obstacles to trade movement through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, recognizing it as a vital route for Arab exports to European markets, and vice versa.

The removal of obstacles to commercial activities and shipping movements reflects Jordan's commitment to supporting Syria in its new phase across various sectors.

Jordanian exports to Syria surged in the first month of 2025, reaching 18.593 million Jordanian dinars (around $26.2 million), compared to just 2.995 million dinars (approximately $4.2 million) in the same month of 2024.

Between 2004 and 2011, trade between Jordan and Syria reached significant levels, surpassing half a billion dollars, before gradually declining to around $182 million in 2023, impacted by regional instability.

Jordanian exports to the Syrian market fell from 49 product categories to 41 between 2011 and 2023, while the number of product categories imported by Jordan from Syria dropped from 75 to 52 during the same period, according to Nasreen Barakat, Executive Director of the Jordan Strategy Forum.

During a discussion on January 23, 2025, Barakat pointed out that the share of the Jaber border crossing with Syria had declined from 25% of Jordan's total land trade in 2011 to around 8% in 2023.

Trade Revival

The active movement of trucks between Jordan and Syria reflects a positive shift towards increased trade exchange, particularly through the activation of the free trade agreement in a way that boosts trade volumes and addresses any challenges faced by the private sector in both countries, according to experts.

Key to this process is the facilitation of transport movement, the reduction of fees imposed on international transit trucks, improvements in customs procedures, and the acceleration of customs clearance processes, all aimed at preventing container congestion in customs yards.

Jordan is counting on the free zone to serve as an attractive investment environment for friendly nations, particularly regional companies eager to contribute to Syria's reconstruction efforts.

Currently, Jordan is offering trade incentives to Syrian traders with the financial capacity to tap into the Jordanian market or engage in import activities.

In this context, Khalil Tawfiq, President of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, believes that "Syria will become an economic lifeline for Jordan, offering a gateway to Lebanon." 

He noted that the three countries together form an economic axis, benefiting from logistical positioning, food security, and the revitalization of local industries, reducing reliance on imports from China.

"Jordan can once again benefit from transit trade coming from Turkiye through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, as the kingdom previously earned 350 million Jordanian dinars ($493 million) in transit revenue heading to the Gulf," he added in a television interview.

"Amman can play a role in rehabilitating Syria’s destroyed economic infrastructure and help market Syrian products by facilitating their passage through Jordan."

"Trade with Syria will invigorate Jordan’s transport sector, which has been severely impacted in recent years," he noted.