Aleppo trade chief: Turkish technology could rebuild Syria in five years

Transferring modern Turkish technology to Syria could allow the country to complete its reconstruction within a relatively short period of no more than five years, the head of the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce said on Tuesday. Mohammad Sheikh Al-Kar made the remark to Anadolu on the sidelines of the Citi Economies Summit in Gaziantep, the southern Turkish province that has become a hub for cross-border trade with Syria.

"Türkiye has achieved major progress and a significant leap in trade and industry over recent decades, making Gaziantep a key player in Türkiye's trade balance, and even regionally and globally," Al-Kar said. Both Syria and Türkiye, he added, enjoy a strong international reputation in industry, trade, and culture.

Syria now needs technology to recover and catch up with global industrial and commercial development, Al-Kar said, and gatherings such as the Gaziantep summit "could generate major opportunities and partnerships in both sectors." Their value, he stressed, depends on follow-through. "It will be meaningful if the decisions that emerge from (the Citi Economies Summit) are implemented and if political leaders support traders, industrialists, and businesspeople and facilitate Syrian-Turkish partnerships, whether in Syria or Türkiye," he said.

He described Türkiye as "a major force" that has left its mark globally over the past three decades through infrastructure work, bridges, tunnels, construction, and large-scale development projects. That experience, in his view, can be carried across the border quickly. "They will help create jobs for Syrian youth, and even for Turkish youth and all our brothers," Al-Kar said of the expected outcomes. "The coming days will produce many projects that will bring prosperity to both countries."

Joint projects within five years

Al-Kar said Turkish technology could be transferred and applied in Syria within a short window, allowing major projects to be finished in less than five years. "Syria possesses significant resources, a skilled workforce, and a strategic location that makes it an ideal destination for investment in all these sectors," he said. He framed the Gaziantep meeting as a beginning rather than a result: "What we are doing now is the first step on a path of a thousand steps that will result in considerable prosperity, progress, and development for both countries."

He identified three conditions for strengthening trade between the two countries: boldness among businesspeople on both sides, political support from both governments, and easier movement through commercial border crossings for traders, industrialists, and travelers. Focusing on those points and adopting supportive measures, he said, would serve economic activity that "will benefit both countries."

On new ventures in the border zone, Al-Kar pointed to areas inside Syria that he expects to see significant development, including a site next to the town of Sarmada in northern Idlib province, where planned projects cover an estimated 1.1 million square meters (about 270 acres). In a message to the business communities of both countries, he called for "saving time and accelerating the establishment of partnerships and projects," arguing that Syria and Türkiye complement each other and should pursue sustainable investment through integrated partnerships.

A trade relationship in a new phase

The summit was organized by Anadolu in cooperation with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and brought together Turkish and Syrian officials and businesspeople. Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat told the gathering that the two countries aim to reach 5 billion dollars in annual trade within two years, and 10 billion dollars by the early 2030s. Türkiye has strongly backed the Syrian government in its push to lift the embargoes imposed by the United States and the European Union.

Trade between the neighbors entered a new phase after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government on 8 December 2024. Gaziantep alone exported 900 million dollars in goods to Syria last year and reached 350 million dollars in the first five months of this year. The summit follows a run of political and diplomatic contacts between Ankara and Damascus, alongside a series of meetings aimed at deepening economic ties.