Attention is turning to Turkey’s Gaziantep province on Tuesday, June 9, where Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar is set to meet Turkish Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat to discuss the contours of the next phase in economic and trade relations between Syria and Turkey, in a step that Anadolu Agency said reflects a move toward opening new horizons for economic cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting comes as part of the “Anadolu Summit for City Economies,” organized by Anadolu Agency in cooperation with the Gaziantep Governorate and Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, with the participation of government officials, private sector representatives, and chambers of commerce and industry from the Syrian and Turkish sides.
Ministerial Meeting to Discuss the Future of Trade
The Syrian and Turkish ministers are scheduled to take part in a session titled “New Horizons for Trade Between Turkey and Syria,” as part of the summit’s activities, where the session will address opportunities to develop trade and economic relations between the two countries during the next phase.
According to Anadolu Agency, the meeting falls within discussions on the features of a new phase in trade relations between Damascus and Ankara, with a focus on strengthening trade exchange and joint investments.
Economic Summit Brings Together Aleppo and Gaziantep
The “Gaziantep, Aleppo City Economies Summit” is expected to be held at the Mavera Center of Gaziantep University, with the participation of business representatives from Turkey and Syria.
Anadolu said the summit will examine the possibility of establishing specially designated production and trade zones between Gaziantep and Aleppo (northern Syria), enabling broad investments to build an intermediate production system along the border strip between the two countries.
Official Opening With Officials From Both Sides
The summit is set to open with speeches by Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber, Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib, Gaziantep Metropolitan Mayor Fatma Şahin, and Anadolu Agency Chairman and Director General Serdar Karagöz.
After the opening, the first session, titled “New Horizons in Trade for Turkey and Syria,” will be held under the moderation of Anadolu Agency’s economy and finance news editor-in-chief Serhat Akan, with the participation of ministers Ömer Bolat and Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar.
Trade and Logistics Relations on the Agenda
Turkey’s ambassador to Damascus, Nuh Yilmaz, will be a guest at a special session within the summit, where he will speak about renewed trade, logistics, and production relations between the two countries, as well as issues of regional economic integration.
Anadolu said the session will address developments related to economic and production cooperation between Syria and Turkey at the current stage.
Business Leaders Discuss Opportunities in the New Phase
The summit will also include a session titled “Opportunities and Potential in the New Phase,” with the participation of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry Chairman Adnan Ünverdi, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Chairman Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım, Aleppo Chamber of Commerce Chairman Mohammad Said Sheikh al-Kar, and Aleppo Chamber of Industry Chairman Imad Taha al-Qassem.
According to Anadolu, the session will discuss the strategic importance of the Gaziantep-Aleppo line in the economy and trade, and the opportunities it could provide to stimulate cooperation between economic actors in both countries.
Production, Exports, and Customs
The summit will conclude with a session titled “A New Phase in Production, Exports, and Customs,” moderated by Anadolu Agency’s economic news director, Merve Özlem Çakır.
Participants in the session include Mustafa Gümüş, director general of customs at the Turkish Ministry of Trade, Cengiz Şimşek, chairman of the board of the Gaziantep industrial zone, and Mete Akcan, chairman of the Southeast Anatolian Exporters’ Associations.
Anadolu said the closing session will address production, exports, and customs procedures, along with ways to strengthen industrial and commercial cooperation between border regions in the two countries.
The agency believes the summit represents a platform that brings together government officials and private sector representatives from Syria and Turkey to discuss opportunities for economic and investment cooperation, with a particular focus on trade relations between Aleppo and Gaziantep and potential projects along the border strip between the two countries.
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