Damascus: Trkiye's trade minister announced plans to assist the Syrian government in developing institutional capacity and addressing infrastructure deficiencies. During an official two-day visit to Damascus, the capital of Syria, on Wednesday and Thursday, Minister Bolat engaged in bilateral and delegation meetings with Syrian counterparts, accompanied by Turkish businesspeople, chamber, and union leaders. The discussions encompassed a range of issues such as trade, customs, transportation, investment, finance and banking, contracting, and energy.
According to Anadolu Agency, Bolat met with several high-ranking Syrian officials, including Economy and Industry Minister Nidal al-Sha'ar, Finance Minister Mohamed Yasser Barnia, Transportation Minister Yarub Suleyman Badr, and land and sea ports chief Kuteybe Ahmed Badawi. During the meetings, Bolat congratulated Syria on last year's revolution, which marked the end of the Assad regime. He emphasized Trkiye's support for Syria, highlighting the significant impact the 13-year civil war had on both nations.
Bolat stated that Trkiye and Syria have a historic opportunity to enhance bilateral relations in a multi-dimensional manner. He expressed openness to cooperation in various areas, including investment, services, infrastructure, and trade in goods, aligning with Syria's needs and demands. On social media platform X, Bolat shared insights from his meeting with al-Sha'ar, underscoring the potential for collaborative efforts.
In discussions with Minister Badr, Bolat highlighted the importance of robust transport and logistics networks for economic strength. The talks focused on improving customs gate transitions and initiating transit passages to position Syria as a transit base. Bolat noted the continuation of the vision set by the historical Hejaz Road, with plans to strengthen transport networks between the two countries.
Bolat also addressed businesspeople from the Damascus Chamber of Commerce, reaffirming Trkiye's commitment to supporting Syria with its experience and production capabilities. He emphasized the reestablishment of infrastructure, economic legislation, and institutional capacity in Syria, pledging Trkiye's assistance in these areas as requested by the Syrian government. Bolat conveyed that Trkiye, under the directive of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is dedicated to supporting Syria's development.
The discussions further explored steps to enhance commercial and economic relations between the neighboring countries. Bolat reiterated Trkiye's readiness to share its expertise, production, and technological capabilities with Syria, aiming for collective growth in areas including customs, logistics, industrial zone rehabilitation, joint investments, and financial system strengthening.