On Tuesday, the Syrian General Corporation for Road Transport signed a contract with the Kuwaiti Combined Group Contracting Company (CGC) for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the Damascus-Nasib Highway (Jordanian border), at the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus.
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of the Minister of Transport, Yaarub Badr, the Governor of Daraa, Anwar Al-Zoubi, and representatives of the Kuwaiti Combined Group Contracting Company, according to Al-Ekhbariya correspondent.
Director of the General Corporation for Road Transport, Moaz Najjar, said that the rehabilitation of the highway represents an important step to develop the road network and raise the efficiency of the infrastructure, noting that the project would improve the flow of transport and trade.
Najjar explained that the Nassib-Damascus Highway is a vital hub for transportation, freight and connectivity between Syria and neighboring countries, expressing his aspiration that the project will constitute a model of cooperation and investment in infrastructure projects.
For his part, the representative of the Kuwaiti Combined Group Contracting Company, Jibril Jaber, confirmed that the company will carry out maintenance and rehabilitation work in accordance with approved quality standards and specifications.
In a special statement to the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan, the head of the Roads and Transport Committee of the Engineers Syndicate, Damascus branch, Muhannad Muhammad Alfa, stated that the value of the contract is estimated at $46 million to rehabilitate and maintain the road over a distance of 100 kilometers, for a period of up to 13 months.
The works include rehabilitating the asphalt layer, lighting, treating all defects in the paving layers, road planning, placing warning signs and indications, and all measures and procedures with the aim of raising the level of the road, enhancing traffic safety and reducing accidents. Alpha noted that the project contributes to reviving international transit traffic and facilitating the flow of goods and travelers with a number of neighboring countries, and to the Gulf states and Egypt.
Last August, the General Corporation for Road Transport announced the start of road rehabilitation procedures. The project includes the rehabilitation of a section approximately 100 kilometers long, with works related to asphalt layers, traffic safety, signals and lighting.
Last April, the Kuwait Joint Contracting Group (CGC) carried out survey and evaluation work on the road in both directions, using laser technologies and high-resolution cameras to produce three-dimensional models of the road surface, allowing the various defects to be accurately identified.
Jordanian King Abdullah II warned on Tuesday that Israel's "expansionist ambitions" under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had become a "regional threat," warning, in particular, of "repeated incursions and geographical expansion" in Syria.
In his speech before the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the King noted that “the expansionist ambitions of this Israeli government have become a regional threat,” according to what was reported by the Royal Hashemite Court.
He warned of “repeated (Israeli) incursions and expanding geographical expansion” in Syria, where the Hebrew state has controlled, during the past months, additional areas of land in the south of the country.
He said, “There are repeated incursions, expanding geographical expansion, and new facts being imposed on the ground, including those affecting vital water sources,” and he promised that Israel is “testing to what extent it can continue.”
The Jordanian king stressed that “any threat to our northern borders or water security is a threat to our national security,” adding: “Jordan will not look away, but rather we will protect our security, our waters, and the interests of our people.”
Criticism of the international community
King Abdullah touched on the war in Gaza and the situation in the West Bank, criticizing the international community’s handling of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict over the past decades. He said: “I have always stood before this General Assembly and warned of the dangers of leaving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict unresolved, but the international community chose to contain the conflict, rather than address its solution.”
He accused the Israeli government of continuing its attacks in Gaza and refusing to withdraw from them, saying that what is happening “can no longer be considered all of this as temporary military measures, or consequences of the war,” and described it as “an attempt to erase the Palestinian presence and impose a new reality in Gaza.”
In the West Bank, King Abdullah said that what is happening is “not a series of separate events,” but rather interconnected practices that “aim to force an entire people to leave their land,” adding: “There is a clear term to describe this policy: forced displacement, which is a war crime.”
At the conclusion of his speech, the Jordanian king affirmed his country’s adherence to “just peace,” and continued support for the Palestinians, UNRWA, and the Hashemite custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, stressing that “military force” alone cannot build peace or address global crises.
President Ahmed Al-Sharaa met in New York with a number of members of the US Congress, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Al-Shaibani, and a number of officials.
During the meeting, relations between the two countries and the situation in Syria were discussed, in addition to regional and international developments, while members of Congress affirmed their support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty, reconstruction and recovery efforts, and enhancing stability.
President Al-Sharaa and his accompanying delegation arrived on Monday in New York to participate in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he is scheduled to deliver a speech on the Syrian Arab Republic and hold discussions with a number of state leaders and officials.
At the beginning of his visit to New York, Al-Sharaa met with a delegation from the Syrian community in the United States, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani, the Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed Al-Saleh, and a number of officials.
During the meeting, Al-Sharaa spoke about the most prominent developments in Syria, the most important achievements achieved during the past period, and the path of construction and recovery. He also listened to the attendees’ interventions and proposals on a number of issues.
He stressed the importance of the role of the Syrian community in strengthening Syrian-American relations and moving them forward, in addition to benefiting from the experiences and competencies of Syrians abroad, and their contribution to reconstruction and development efforts.
Session at the Atlantic Council
On Tuesday evening, Al-Sharaa will participate in a dialogue session organized by the Atlantic Council in New York, on the sidelines of the General Assembly meetings.
According to the official program of the Council, the session will be held at 5:30 pm New York time, and will address Al-Sharaa’s vision for the future of Syria and the government’s priorities in reconstruction, economic recovery, and institutional reform, in addition to developments in Syrian-American relations, strengthening state institutions, and Syria’s regional role.
It is worth noting that Damascus has come a long way between its visits to New York in September 2025 and 2026, during which it moved from restoring communication channels to expanding partnerships, dismantling restrictions, reopening embassies, lifting sanctions, and renewing its involvement in international forums and institutions, according to a report by the official news agency (SANA).
Syria's presence this year comes after a series of diplomatic and political transformations, which take its participation in New York from restoring attendance in 2025 to consolidating it and expanding its paths in 2026.
Perhaps the best expression of this is what the Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed Al-Saleh, wrote before traveling with the presidential delegation to the UN General Assembly meetings: “Over the past years, I have brought to the United Nations files of pain from explosive barrels, chemical weapons, forced displacement, camps, and the crimes and violations committed by the Assad regime against the Syrians. But this time, I bring hope and will talk about the vision of (Syria without camps), and about our efforts in the Syrian government to enable our people to return safely and voluntarily. And sustainable development to their homes and lands, and we will discuss with our partners how to transform the return from a dream into a tangible reality that creates stability and restores life to Syrian communities.”
Note that Minister Al-Saleh will speak about these details in a session organized by the Syrian Foreign Ministry and its representative delegation to the United Nations, on the sidelines of the work of the United Nations General Assembly, on Wednesday evening, in New York, in the presence of UN officials concerned with the Syrian file.
