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Over 30,000 companies established by Syrian nationals in Türkiye have played a crucial role in revitalizing trade between the two countries, with volumes recovering to pre-conflict levels of $2.5 billion from $486 million, according to the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu.
Hisarciklioglu’s remarks came during a visit to Damascus on Thursday, where a TOBB delegation met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to discuss bilateral trade and reconstruction opportunities.
The visit focused on supporting Syria’s normalization efforts and identifying ways for the Turkish private sector to assist in rebuilding infrastructure and boosting industrial activity.
The TOBB delegation met with Sharaa to discuss opportunities for joint reconstruction, trade expansion, and regional cooperation. Hisarciklioglu emphasized Türkiye’s willingness to share technical expertise in sectors such as industry, infrastructure, and customs.
“We are here to support Syria’s economic recovery,” he said. “We discussed how we can assist with reconstruction, revive entrepreneurship, and expand bilateral trade.”
He proposed establishing a bilateral working group to coordinate efforts, especially in areas like organized industrial zones (OSBs) and customs modernization.
“We want to bring our experience to Syria,” Hisarciklioglu noted, highlighting that Türkiye’s OSBs generate 45% of national industrial output and employ 2.7 million people.
Hisarciklioglu pointed out that cross-border transportation has also accelerated. In the first five months of 2024, Turkish trucks made 110,000 deliveries to Syria—up 60% year-on-year.
“Transport operations have gained momentum and trade in the region is picking up,” Hisarciklioglu said.
He concluded that this economic bridge between the two countries offers long-term potential for cooperation. “This presence creates a major advantage for deeper collaboration between Türkiye and Syria in the new period,” he added.
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