Cross-Border Industrial Deal
The administration of the Bab al-Hawa Industrial City signed an agreement on 27 August 2026 with the Turkish company iSRA to develop and expand the site, a step aimed at deepening economic and commercial cooperation across the Syrian-Turkish border. The signing took place at the Ministry of Economy and Industry's pavilion during the 63rd Damascus International Fair.
Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Basel Abdel Hanan and Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat attended the ceremony. The agreement establishes a cross-border partnership intended to widen the Turkish firm's operations inside Syria.
2,000 Investment Openings
Officials said the expansion is designed to create about 2,000 industrial investment opportunities and to support domestic Syrian manufacturing. The project pairs Syrian industrial land with Turkish development expertise, positioning Bab al-Hawa as a hub for cross-border trade.
The signatory company ranks among the largest Turkish firms specializing in the development of industrial cities, ministry officials said, adding that extensive groundwork and partnership arrangements had been prepared over recent months.
Infrastructure and Timeline
The director of industrial cities at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Ahmad Kurdi, said the agreement runs for one year, with work set to begin immediately after the Damascus International Fair closes. He said the studies needed to develop the site are ready.
The first phase covers core infrastructure, including electricity, water, sewage, industrial drainage and treatment stations. The ministry said it would provide these services to serve industrialists and investors moving into the expanded city.
Backdrop at Damascus Fair
The deal was among the agreements concluded at the fair's 63rd edition, which opened on 26 August 2026 with about 1,000 participating entities representing 60 countries. The event is being held under the slogan "Syria rises again."
The expansion adds to a series of investment and trade arrangements announced during the fair, as authorities court foreign capital to rebuild industrial capacity and restore cross-border commercial links.