The General Authority for Land and Maritime Crossings signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with CMA CGM, one of the leading international companies in maritime transport and logistics services. This agreement aims to establish and operate dry ports in both the Syrian-Jordanian Joint Free Zone and the Adra Free Zone in Damascus Countryside, as part of an integrated plan to enhance Syria’s logistics infrastructure.

This step comes within the framework of the Authority’s vision to develop free zones and transform them into pivotal centers for regional and international trade, through their direct connection to global maritime and land transport networks. The project aims to achieve effective integration between coastal ports and dry ports, which will accelerate cargo transport operations, reduce operational costs, and provide advanced logistics solutions that meet the needs of traders and investors.

Under the agreement, CMA CGM will manage and operate the dry ports based on the latest international standards, providing comprehensive services including customs clearance, storage, and multimodal transport. The project is expected to contribute to enhancing the investment environment in Syria, supporting regional trade movement, and facilitating the entry and exit of goods to and from free zones, thereby supporting economic development and providing new opportunities for local and international investors and companies.

The General Authority for Land and Maritime Crossings in Syria received delegations from the Jordanian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, separately, in a series of meetings focused on ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries and coordinate joint efforts to overcome obstacles to trade exchange. These meetings reflected mutual interest in revitalizing trade movement and finding practical solutions to challenges facing both public and private sectors.

Both parties discussed vital files, most notably the reactivation of commercial transit with Turkey through Syrian territory, which would stimulate the movement of goods between the three countries and facilitate the flow of products to new markets. The meetings also addressed facilitating procedures for registering foreign companies and reviewing port tariffs to make them more competitive and attractive to investors.

The discussions also included regulating customs clearance fees and simplifying certificate of origin requirements, in addition to providing flexible facilities for Jordanian passenger transit, with the aim of enhancing both human and economic exchange. For its part, the General Authority for Crossings presented a package of facilities to support Syrian exports, such as reducing fees on raw materials and providing an encouraging environment for industrialists and traders at land and maritime crossings, alongside encouraging investment in free zones and vital ports.

Both parties concluded the meetings by affirming their commitment to continuing coordination and holding regular meetings to ensure implementation steps that translate agreements into tangible reality, contributing to overcoming technical and procedural challenges facing trade, benefiting both countries and supporting the path of joint economic development.

Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Bassel Abdul Hanan held an expanded meeting with a high-level Jordanian delegation comprising representatives from Jordan’s chambers of industry and a number of officials and economic experts, with the participation of Syrian Economy Ministry Assistant Mohammad Yassin Houria. The meeting came within the framework of strengthening economic relations between Syria and Jordan and exploring ways to develop bilateral cooperation on solid and sustainable foundations.

Both parties discussed promising investment opportunities in Syria, particularly in the industrial, agricultural, and service sectors, in addition to reviewing the potential for utilizing available resources in both countries to support joint projects and increase trade volume. Participants emphasized the importance of working to remove obstacles to the movement of goods and capital, and creating an attractive investment environment through adopting policies that encourage transition toward a more open and free economy.

Deputy Minister Bassel Abdul Hanan emphasized in his remarks that developing economic cooperation with Jordan represents an important step toward building strategic partnerships that serve the interests of both countries and support comprehensive development. He explained that such initiatives would support the business environment and expand areas of cooperation between the public and private sectors, in addition to opening new horizons for investors and facilitating the establishment of investment projects that benefit the national economy.

For its part, the Jordanian delegation expressed the business sector’s desire in Jordan to strengthen economic partnership with Syria and explore cooperation opportunities in new fields, affirming that the upcoming phase requires greater coordination and exchange of expertise to contribute to advancing development and achieving mutual gains for both peoples.