Trade Chief Returns to Aleppo
Turkey's trade minister, Ömer Bolat, visited Aleppo on 27 August 2026, his first trip to the city in more than two decades. Located about 50 kilometers south of the Turkish border, Aleppo long served as a central hub for cross-border commerce, and the visit signaled a push to restore that role.
The minister met industrialists and business representatives at the Sheikh Najjar Industrial City, where he reviewed production lines and investment opportunities alongside a Turkish delegation. The trip capped a series of meetings between officials from the two sides aimed at activating economic partnerships.
Joint Customs Committee
The two governments agreed to establish a joint customs committee tasked with expanding and modernizing the border crossings between the two countries. Officials described the body as a mechanism to speed the movement of goods and to develop international transport corridors linking the Syrian and Turkish markets.
Cooperation is set to extend beyond customs into energy, banking, transport, and investment under the framework outlined during the talks. Both sides pointed to work on expanding and developing the shared border points as an early priority.
Trade Toward $10 Billion
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $3.75 billion in 2025, a 42 percent increase over the previous year. Officials set a target of lifting the annual volume to $10 billion in the near future.
The growth reflects a broader reopening of the Syrian economy to regional partners as border crossings and transport links are gradually rehabilitated.
Focus on Reconstruction
An international business forum in Aleppo brought Syrian and Turkish firms together to activate partnerships in trade, industry, and reconstruction. Organizers presented the gathering as a step toward signing agreements and delivering tangible economic results. New production projects involving Turkish companies are already underway inside Syria.
"While strengthening Turkey-Syria economic and commercial relations, we are developing cooperation opportunities that will contribute to Aleppo's reconstruction and economic development."
The renewed engagement points to deeper integration between the two economies after years of severed ties.