Board Signs Off on 2027 Plan
The board of the Syrian Trade Corporation, a state-owned trading and distribution body, approved the corporation's 2027 investment plan and annual budget at a meeting on 19 August 2026. The session was chaired by Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Maher Khalil al-Hasan, with the corporation's Director General Amer Qassoum in attendance.
The plan focuses on identifying profitable investment lines, preparing feasibility studies, and putting the corporation's real-estate and logistics assets to fuller use across the country. Al-Hasan said the corporation holds significant assets spread across Syria that can serve as a lever for the 2027 plan.
115 Billion Pounds in Supplier Debt Cleared
Qassoum told the board that the corporation has paid 115 billion Syrian pounds (SYP) in accumulated debt owed to private-sector suppliers, and is working to close out the remaining debt file by expanding revenue-generating investments rather than fresh borrowing.
The board also approved offsetting some outstanding supplier payments against materials the corporation holds in its warehouses, a mechanism aimed at reducing cash outflows while clearing obligations.
From Loss to Profit
Qassoum said the corporation has moved from a loss-making position to a surplus and profit by reorganizing its portfolio. Real-estate holdings, the corporation's transport fleet, and refrigeration units are being redeployed as revenue lines, with the truck fleet now hauling gas and grain on commercial terms.
Al-Hasan noted that exceptional measures were taken in the early days after the change of power to protect the corporation's premises and warehouse stock from theft and damage, though he said a substantial share of the stock was still lost during that period.
Discounted Sales to State Employees
The board approved the sale of stationery and electrical goods to state employees on installment terms at reduced prices, using the corporation's own sales network. The step is presented as a public-service measure at a time when many salaried households face tight liquidity.
Why It Matters
The Syrian Trade Corporation is one of the largest state commercial entities and a bellwether for public-sector reform. Clearing 115 billion SYP of private-sector arrears — and shifting the corporation's asset base into a revenue mode — signals a move toward operating public trading bodies on commercial rather than subsidy logic, and eases pressure on private suppliers that had been carrying unpaid invoices.