Türkiye, Syria deepen trade cooperation with customs overhaul
Officials target faster border crossings, stronger logistics links and fresh investment momentum as Ankara and Damascus test a new phase of economic engagement.
Türkiye and Syria are preparing to deepen economic cooperation through a new joint trade mechanism aimed at speeding up customs procedures and boosting cross-border commerce, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Wednesday.
Bolat held separate calls with Syrian officials, including customs chief Qutaiba Ahmed Badawi and Economy Minister Nidal al-Shaar, to discuss steps to modernise border infrastructure and accelerate transit flows between the two countries.
The talks focused on expanding and upgrading customs gates, streamlining procedures and launching the first meeting of the Türkiye–Syria Joint Customs Committee following a preliminary agreement reached last December.
Bilateral trade increases
Officials also reviewed ways to strengthen logistics networks and investment ties, as Ankara signals interest in expanding economic links with Syria amid shifting regional dynamics.
Bolat said bilateral trade reached $3.7 billion last year, adding that both sides agreed to convene a Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting this spring, alongside a broader business and investment forum designed to draw private-sector participation.