The General Authority for Land and Maritime Ports signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Chinese company Fidi Contracting, granting the company full investment rights for the free zone in Hassia in Homs Governorate, which covers an area of approximately eight hundred and fifty thousand square meters. The agreement aims to establish an integrated industrial zone comprising specialized factories and production facilities that meet local market needs and support the development of the industrial sector in Syria.

Under the memorandum, the Chinese company also obtained investment rights for three hundred thousand square meters of the free zone in Adra in Damascus Countryside Governorate, where modern commercial and service projects will be developed to meet the requirements of the local and regional markets and enhance Syria’s position as a regional center for attracting investments and stimulating trade exchange.

The contract duration is twenty years, with the company committed to implementing project phases according to a specific timeline to ensure economic feasibility and enhance the role of free zones as a main driver for development and attracting foreign direct investment. This step is part of the Authority’s policy aimed at revitalizing Syrian free zones and attracting foreign capital, especially from friendly countries, contributing to creating new job opportunities, technology transfer, and increasing trade volume through Syria’s land and maritime ports.

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.

The Al-Arida border crossing between Syria and Lebanon was reopened this Tuesday morning for passenger movement, following the completion of the first phase of maintenance and rehabilitation work that the crossing underwent during the past period. This reopening comes in response to the needs of residents wishing to travel between the two countries, especially with the approaching Eid al-Adha holiday, where the crossing is expected to witness active transit movement of individuals and families.

The relevant authorities confirmed that the reopening of the crossing aims to facilitate citizens’ movement and provide safer and more comfortable conditions during transit, while continuing to implement the remaining restoration and preparation work after the end of the holiday. This step comes within the framework of ongoing government efforts to improve the infrastructure of border crossings and enhance cooperation with the Lebanese side in a manner that serves the interests of the population and facilitates economic and social activities between the two countries.

Internal Trade Director Abdul Wahab Al-Safar and Syrian Grain Corporation Tartous Branch Director Engineer Mahmoud Shabli inaugurated the Al-Anabiya purchasing center after completing its comprehensive rehabilitation process, following the damage it sustained from previous targeting. This inauguration came as confirmation of the government’s direction toward repairing and rehabilitating damaged infrastructure in vital sectors.

The center began receiving wheat crops from farmers in Tartous Governorate, amid significant interaction from farmers, as the center provides a direct marketing channel for strategic crops and supports the state’s efforts to achieve food security. The center’s reopening aims to ensure the continued smooth supply of national wheat, with a focus on providing fair conditions for farmers that encourage them to sell their crops within a transparent marketing environment.

The center’s inauguration comes within the framework of the Ministry of Economy’s plan to restore life to damaged agricultural facilities and develop the grain marketing system at the governorate level, which contributes to strengthening farmers’ confidence in the state and helps stabilize the grain market and support the agricultural sector as a main pillar of the national economy.

Hama Governorate witnessed the official opening of the Hama Iron Factory, affiliated with the General Company for Iron and Steel Products, following the completion of structural updates and reorganization of the factory’s operational plans to keep pace with modern technical developments in the iron industry. The opening ceremony was attended by a representative of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Abdul Ilah Zaza, the company’s General Manager Ahmed Al-Hanif, the Director of Hama Industry Directorate, alongside the head of the Workers’ Unions Federation and a number of administrative and technical staff working at the factory.

This achievement comes within the framework of a comprehensive plan aimed at developing the metal industries sector in Syria, as the company seeks to raise the level of local production of iron and steel and provide products that meet the requirements of the national market with high quality. Those in charge of the project confirmed that restarting the factory will contribute to supporting the ongoing reconstruction process in the country by providing basic materials at competitive prices and with approved specifications.

On the other hand, the factory is expected to provide hundreds of direct and indirect job opportunities after the modernization, which will positively impact the living conditions of families in Hama Governorate and neighboring areas. The factory’s opening also enhances the national economy’s ability to make optimal use of local resources and establishes solid foundations for developing Syrian industry and achieving self-sufficiency in many strategic products necessary for the construction and development phase.

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.

The Ministry of Economy and Industry signed a new cooperation agreement with the World Food Programme, aimed at supporting the bakery sector and alleviating living burdens on a wide segment of citizens in Syria. Under this agreement, sixty-four bakeries in several governorates will be supplied with additional quantities of flour, as part of the first phase that includes the governorates of Daraa, Lattakia, Tartous, Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, with plans to expand the scope of the agreement later to include other governorates in subsequent phases.

The agreement will be launched in Daraa Governorate starting from May 29th, and the distribution process includes providing forty thousand tons of flour to ensure production continuity in the beneficiary bakeries. Through this cooperation, the Ministry aims to improve the living conditions of Syrian families by providing bread at subsidized prices and facilitating its access to the largest number of citizens.

According to the relevant authorities, approximately two million citizens in the governorates covered by the first phase will benefit from this support, which enhances food security and alleviates living pressures resulting from rising prices of basic commodities. The agreement also emphasizes the importance of strengthening partnerships with international organizations to ensure the provision of necessary needs for the population and improve the quality of services provided within humanitarian and developmental response plans.