Damascus Hosts Construction Expo
An international exhibition dedicated to construction, building and energy opened at the Damascus International Fair City on 2 November 2026, gathering about 150 local and international companies from 12 countries. Housed in halls 25 and 26, the event runs daily from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. until 5 November.
Alongside the trade floor, the program includes a conference, a business-to-business matchmaking platform and a youth development track aimed at connecting firms, investors and workers.
Government Seeks Investment Partners
Deputy Minister of Public Works and Housing Wahid Obeid said the ministry is looking for serious investment partnerships with the private sector, including international firms able to provide finance, expertise and technology while training Syrian workers.
The emphasis on construction materials and energy solutions reflects the scale of rebuilding facing the country after years of war and isolation.
UN Agencies Detail Rebuilding
UNICEF deputy representative Lawrence Ondu said the agency is working with the government to renovate 200 schools by the end of the year at a cost of $20 million (USD), and that it has already rehabilitated 256 health centers at a cost of $24 million.
He linked the effort to the return of more than two million internally displaced people and 1.8 million refugees since December 2024.
Jobs and Humanitarian Need
UNDP deputy representative Ruhi Afghani said 16.6 million people in Syria still need humanitarian assistance and estimated that the construction sector could generate about 24 percent of the jobs the country requires. Organizers presented the exhibition as a channel for matching that demand with foreign capital and technical capacity.
A Market Reopening
The presence of companies from a dozen countries points to a gradual reopening of the Syrian market to foreign contractors and suppliers. Whether the stated interest translates into binding contracts will depend on financing terms and the pace of the country's wider economic normalization.