Turkish and Syrian officials have highlighted growing economic ties during the Anadolu City Economies Summit in the southeast Turkish province of Gaziantep, announcing plans to open new customs gates and targeting a $10 billion trade volume in the coming years.
The summit, organised by Anadolu in cooperation with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality on Tuesday, brought together Turkish and Syrian officials and businesspeople.
Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat stated that the two nations aim to reach a $5 billion annual trade volume within two years and $10 billion by the early 2030s.
"We are fully prepared for the opening of the Islahiye Customs Gate, and by working together, we will be able to announce its opening as soon as possible," the minister said.
Officials also informed their Syrian counterparts about their readiness to open the customs gate between Nusaybin and Qamishli.
Bolat emphasised that Türkiye gave top priority to protecting Syria's territorial integrity and national unity after the revolution on December 8, 2024.
He added that Turkish banks reached an agreement to open branches in Syria as central banks continue their negotiations.
Türkiye strongly supported the Syrian government to help lift the embargoes imposed by the US and the EU.
Gaziantep exported $900 million worth of goods to Syria last year and reached $350 million in the first five months of this year.
Partnerships
The Turkish ambassador to Damascus, Nuh Yilmaz, described Türkiye as Syria's gateway to global markets and Europe.
Yilmaz characterised Syria as a strategic logistics corridor connecting Türkiye to the Middle East and the Gulf region.
The ambassador advised investors to establish long-term partnerships rather than focusing solely on short-term trade.
He recommended the Aleppo-Idlib region as a primary investment area due to its stable energy supply and skilled workforce.
Yilmaz pointed out that security conditions in Syria improved significantly after the central government regained control of various territories.
Syria
Syria's economy minister, Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, also underscored the importance of cooperation with Türkiye, calling the country its "natural partner".
"Türkiye is our natural partner. We view the relation in this regard", said al-Shaar.
Noting that Damascus is drafting new regulations to support economic growth and reassessing laws related to trade, investment, banking and industry, al-Shaar urged Ankara and Damascus to become a common source of production.
"We are making efforts to establish sustainable, compatible and strong economic relations in Syria," he said.
He added that modernising the banking sector remains one of the country’s top priorities.
Millions of Syrians living in Türkiye have become accustomed to its advanced banking system, he said.
"We share a common destiny with Türkiye," he added.
He noted a significant revival in Syria’s industrial sector, saying that more than 15,000 factories had resumed operations in recent months, around 1,200 new production lines had been established, and hundreds of factories were still under construction.
Al-Shaar said Turkish businesspeople play an important role in industrial investments, particularly in the Hama region.
He praised Türkiye’s constructive role in supporting regional stability and said Syria is pleased with Ankara’s approach, expressing confidence that cooperation between the two countries will grow stronger.
“Syria is ready. Our country is your country too. Please come,” he said.
He added that opening border crossings and accelerating transit procedures are key to improving trade and facilitating movement between the two countries.
