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Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said his country could provide a “safe corridor” and “alternative route” for regional energy shipments, as supply disruptions continue to affect the wider Middle East.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said his country offers a “safe corridor” and “alternative route” for regional energy shipments amid ongoing supply disruptions.
“Syria's access to the Mediterranean makes it an excellent and secure link between Eastern and Western supply chains,” he said in remarks to Turkish state media.
Al-Sharaa went on to assert that “connectivity” was being enhanced between Türkiye and the Arab Gulf states via Syria and Jordan.
The connectivity scheme has already begun to “take shape”, he said, noting that Iraqi oil is now being exported through Syrian ports under a deal recently signed between Damascus and Baghdad.
“Stable relations between Türkiye, Syria, Jordan, and the Gulf states are a major asset here,” he added. “The main challenge remains keeping the region stable and neutral amid the surrounding conflicts.”
Al-Sharaa made the remarks after arriving in Türkiye, where he is taking part in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which brings together leaders, diplomats, and policymakers from across the region.
According to al-Sharaa, the Syria–Iraq oil transit agreement reflects growing regional co-operation in the energy sector.
He also pointed to the so-called “Four Seas Project,” a longstanding transit scheme aimed at transforming the region into a major energy and transport hub.
The project seeks to link Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean via Türkiye and Syria, while also connecting the Persian Gulf and Red Sea regions through integrated transport networks.
Plans include the development of pipelines, railways, and road corridors designed to facilitate the movement of goods - especially critical energy resources - across multiple regions.
Advocates of the project say it could, if implemented, reduce reliance on traditional maritime chokepoints, including the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz.
The project has recently drawn increased attention as regional states scramble to find alternative routes to ensure uninterrupted energy flows at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
Pakistan has deployed around 8,000 troops, fighter jets and air defence systems to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence agreement, according to security officials and government sources familiar with the arrangement.
Russia is considering the possibility of joint projects with the United States and China, Kirill Dmitriev, Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, (Russia's sovereign wealth fund), was quoted as saying by state media on Wednesday.
Passenger rail services between Baku and Tbilisi are expected to resume in 2026, after being suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and regional border restrictions.
Tajik scientists have warned that glaciers in the Pamir Mountains are melting at an alarming rate, including in high-altitude areas previously considered relatively stable, following the country’s first direct winter glacier measurements since independence.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has published an open letter questioning the EU’s democratic credibility, in what may be the clearest sign yet of Georgia’s deepening political and diplomatic rupture with Brussels.
Amid shifting global supply chains and rising geopolitical competition over trade corridors, attention is increasingly turning to the strategic role of transit states linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Europe and the Middle East.
Kyrgyzstan has suspended 50 locally registered companies over what authorities described as “high sanctions risk” operations, in the clearest sign yet that Bishkek is responding to growing European scrutiny over alleged sanctions circumvention linked to Russia.
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