Expo Closes in Damascus
The 24th edition of Syria's Buildex international building and construction exhibition concluded in Damascus on Sunday, 14 June 2026, after opening earlier in the week. Officials reported that 21 formal contracts were signed over the course of the event, which ran from its opening on Wednesday until the closing day.
The fair, devoted to the building and construction-materials sector, drew 710 companies and more than 1,400 commercial brands. Fifty-one countries were represented, 20 of them through direct participation.
Foreign Firms Step In
Finance Minister Muhammad Yassir Barniah said further agreements concluded at the expo had not yet been disclosed, and pointed to companies entering the Syrian market for the first time.
He noted a shift among some traders away from importing finished goods toward local manufacturing. Barniah framed the activity as evidence of economic recovery and described the gathering as part of a new phase of reconstruction.
A Promised Tax Overhaul
Barniah announced a forthcoming tax system that he described as simpler and carrying the lowest rates in the region. Priority, he said, would go to supporting low-income groups and encouraging exports.
No timetable, draft text, or specific rates were released for the planned changes, which were presented as a statement of intent rather than an enacted measure.
Confidence in the Market
Ghassan Sukar, deputy chairman of the Damascus Chamber of Commerce, said the turnout reflected growing confidence in the Syrian market and offered local and foreign firms a venue to form commercial partnerships.
What Was Not Disclosed
The total value of the 21 signed contracts was not made public, nor were the names of the companies said to be entering the market for the first time.
Officials also did not specify which sectors the undisclosed additional agreements covered, leaving the scale of the week's business outcomes unconfirmed.