Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat has arrived in Damascus with a business delegation for the 63rd Damascus International Fair, meeting Nidal al-Shaar, the Syrian economy and industry minister, to discuss steps towards reaching a bilateral trade volume target of $10 billion.
The officials evaluated cooperation to facilitate trade, particularly in transport and at customs gates, as well as the potential role of the Turkish private sector in Syria’s reconstruction, Bolat said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal on Wednesday.
The ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the agreements reached during the Türkiye-Syria Joint Economic and Trade Commission meeting in April.
Bolat later met Ahmad Rawad Ramadan, the newly appointed head of the Syrian Investment Agency, to discuss Turkish firms’ investment interests.
The two sides evaluated steps to create a predictable investment environment and planned investments in organised industrial zones in the Syrian regions of Kamune and Saraqib.
Bolat emphasised that Ramadan’s deep understanding of the Turkish business community would accelerate investment relations between Türkiye and Syria.
Turkish businesspeople attending the meeting also shared their expectations and long-term investment plans to boost production and employment in the region.
