The Turkish government and the business world held talks on Tuesday to exchange views on ways to help Syria’s reconstruction and economic revival following last month’s ouster of longtime dictator Bashar Assad.
Assad's fall after opposition forces’ weeklong lightning offensive left behind a country with significant economic and infrastructural problems after the 13-year civil war.
Officials have since voiced Türkiye's readiness to help the neighboring nation regain feet. Ankara was the first nation to reopen its embassy in Damascus.
The main agenda of the meeting in Ankara on Tuesday centered on "what our business world and our country can do in the reconstruction, development, and strengthening of the economy and trade of the brother country Syria in the new era," the Trade Ministry said in a statement.
The meeting was attended by Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, businesspeople, industrial chambers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
The ministry stated a strong cooperation needs to be established between Türkiye and Syria to ensure a sustainable state structure, peace and security in the country.
The war killed more than half a million people and left behind an economy in shambles, destroying homes, businesses, schools and energy infrastructure.
It displaced 6 million people across the globe and 7 million people inside Syria. Türkiye has been home to nearly 3 million refugees who fled after the start of the civil war in 2011, and Assad's overthrow has raised hopes that many will go back. More than 25,000 returned home since the fall of the regime, according to authorities.
Separately on Tuesday, Bilgehan Engin, head of the Association of International Transport and Logistics Service Providers (UTIKAD), highlighted Syria's untapped trade potential with Türkiye.
Currently valued at $2 billion annually, Engin noted that the goods exchange between the two nations could rapidly grow to $6 billion in the short to medium term as stability improves.
"Syria's evolving circumstances and the end of active conflict present a significant opportunity for Turkish industries, particularly logistics and infrastructure development," he told reporters.
He pointed out that a budget of $400 billion said to be talked about for Syria’s reconstruction over the next two to four years could generate major operational demand for Türkiye’s logistics sector, particularly in "project transportation."
Engin stressed that Turkish ports and transport corridors could serve as vital conduits for materials and goods required for rebuilding Syria’s infrastructure, including homes, businesses and utilities devastated by the conflict.
"Developments in Syria are important in many ways. They are significant in terms of their impact on our country's geopolitical situation, political situation and even economic situation. Before 2013, Syria was an important trade partner for us. If it had continued at the same pace today, there would be a potential of $6 billion or even more. Today, there is a trade volume of $2 billion," he said.
Engin stated that with the changing conjuncture and the war environment being left behind, they expect this amount to rise quickly toward the mentioned potential in the short to medium term.
"There are infrastructure budgets mentioned in Syria exceeding $400 billion. These will largely pass through our ports. The renewal of Syria's infrastructure is expected to create a significant operational input and workload for the logistics sector in the short to medium term," he added.
While the budget has attracted global attention, Engin urged Turkish businesses to leverage their geographic and logistical advantages to secure a leading role in rebuilding Syria.
