The MÜSİAD EXPO 2026 International Trade Fair, which brings together Turkish and Syrian businesspeople in Istanbul, is being held with the participation of 369 companies from 18 sectors. Syria’s investment and industrial plans were also discussed at the fair, which is taking place across approximately 25,000 square meters at the Istanbul Expo Center.
Ali Alhamad, director of public relations at the Directorate of Industrial and Craft Zones under Syria’s Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, said in a statement at the fair that they expect Turkish investors to play an important role in Syria, which is working to recover after the war.
Reform preparations to remove bureaucratic obstacles
Alhamad said a comprehensive reform process was under way to remove bureaucratic obstacles inherited from the previous administration and restrictive legislation. He said numerous legal regulations to support investors were being prepared and noted that Türkiye was one of the countries closest to Syria.
Alhamad said Syria and Türkiye could undertake joint investments and that Turkish investors could operate in the country in line with their own projects. He also said there were plans for partnerships in the industrial and infrastructure sectors.
Energy and transport networks are priorities
Alhamad said priority was being given to repairing energy and transport networks that suffered heavy damage during the war. He added that, once infrastructure deficiencies were addressed, the goal was to establish investment bridges between Turkish businesspeople and Syrian entrepreneurs.
Alhamad said these investments would help revive the regional economy and accelerate trade ties between Türkiye and Syria. He said Syria had emerged from a difficult 14-year war and noted that efforts had been under way for the past two years to restore security and stability.
Number of industrial sites to rise to 380
Alhamad said a secure environment would create new opportunities for Syrians and Turkish investors. He added that Syrians who had previously sought refuge in Türkiye could serve as a bridge between the two sides in commercial activities in their country.
Alhamad said Turkish investors were conducting infrastructure and market research in various sectors, particularly textiles. He added that they aimed to offer entrepreneurs opportunities in every sector and support investment processes.
Plans call for industrial zones and infrastructure facilities to be established in various cities, particularly Raqqa, Aleppo and Idlib, taking Türkiye’s organized industrial zone model as an example. The goal is to increase the total number of industrial zones and sites from the current 173 to 380 by adding new ones and to bring the first organized industrial zones into operation within 1–2 years.
