The Minister of Trade, Omer Bolat, will be traveling to Syria to conduct commercial discussions with the leaders of business associations. Minister of Trade Omer Bolat is set to embark on an official visit to Damascus tomorrow to discuss trade, customs, transportation, investment, and energy topics between Turkey and Syria. The visit, scheduled for April 16-17, will include business people, chamber and union presidents. The agenda is expected to cover strengthening cooperation for Syria’s economic development in the new phase, enhancing communication and relations between economic actors of both countries, and increasing inter-agency coordination for the reconstruction of a free Syria. Various subjects including trade, customs, transportation, investment, finance, banking, construction, and energy will be addressed during the visit, where Bolat will engage in bilateral and delegation-level discussions with counterparts. As part of the visit, Bolat will hold bilateral and delegation-level meetings with Syria’s Minister of Economy Nidal Shaar, Minister of Finance Mohammed Yusr Berniyye, Minister of Transportation Yarub Bedir, and Director General of Syria’s Land and Sea Ports, Kuteybe Ahmed Bedevi. The visit will also include an Business Forum and Roundtable Meetings where Turkish business leaders will meet with Syrian business people to evaluate new business opportunities. In the meeting with Syria’s Economy Minister Shaar, discussions will encompass the roadmap for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that will boost economic and commercial relations between the two countries. The meeting with Berniyye will address Turkey’s potential contributions to strengthening Syria’s institutional economic framework, collaboration in removing sanctions, developing banking infrastructure, and reconstruction efforts in Syria. Discussions with Transportation Minister Bedir will explore opportunities to strengthen transportation relations between Turkey and Syria, fortify logistical ties, and establish partnerships for transport projects contributing to regional development. Areas to enhance cooperation in customs, improve and modernize customs gates between Turkey and Syria, and address additional expectations of the private sector concerning current customs duties will be evaluated in the meeting with Kuteybe Ahmed Bedevi. Bolat’s trip to Damascus will play a significant and decisive role in determining the dynamics of economic and commercial relationships between Turkey and Syria. Intensive trade diplomacy has been carried out with the new regime in Syria since the fall of the Ba’ath regime on December 8. Within this scope, the Ministry of Trade reopened the Yayladağı Customs Gate for transit on December 9, 2024, after years of closure, while on January 1, the control of the customs authorities on the Syrian side was handed over to the new Syria interim government. Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu and his delegation visited Damascus on January 23 to engage in a series of discussions with Syrian counterparts, resulting in reduced taxes on certain products. Furthermore, restrictions on customs services for trade between Turkey and Syria, previously implemented during the old regime, were lifted on February 8. Finally, Turkey increased its representation by appointing Ministry representatives to the Syria Trade Office in Damascus and the Aleppo Commercial Attache by expanding both teams to four members.