The Syrians are following the attention of the economy movement and the rotation of its production wheel in the hope that the reality of living will have a dose of reviving that revives their hopes of improving the level of life.
Experts expect that the scenario of the transitional phase, which aims to rebuild a new economy according to a more interactive vision with the economies of the world, and the construction of strong governmental institutions that are subject to its performance and transparency, will provide favorable conditions to make tangible progress in this regard, which meets the country’s need for stability and well -being.
From the economy directed to the free economy
The regime in Syria is adopted – in the post -Assad regime – the free economy approach and the privatization of some government public sector institutions after decades of state control over all its joints. And I witnessed Damascus In recent months, the signing of bilateral agreements and Arab and foreign understanding notes, which reflected the state’s readiness to embrace investments in its various forms.
The Minister of Economy and Industry, Mohamed Nidal Al -Shaar, announced earlier that gross domestic product The country will witness a remarkable increase during the years 2025 and 2026, adding that the government is working on plans to privatize national companies and include them in financial markets, and on innovative reconstruction shrinking the financial bill from trillion dollars to hundreds of billions only, in an attempt to rebuild the country in a more sustainable economic manner.
He pointed out, in an intervention during the 2025 Arab Media Summit that was held in Dubai, that estimates that talk about Syria’s need to $ 400 billion for reconstruction is inaccurate, because what we plan for it exceeds that much, pointing out that investment opportunities exceed a trillion dollars, and may reach trillion, which means that the concept of reconstruction in traditional methods is no longer valid.
Flexible cranes and real tools
The new Syria requires a advanced legislative system and an economic approach that achieves the aspirations of the Syrians to real stability and comprehensive development that is in line with the changes in the country.
Official statements indicate that the government is in the process of amending the applicable investment laws, and turning them into real tools to support development and attracting investors, based on the state’s keenness to give investors the necessary flexibility to manage their projects, and to protect them from the chaos that prevailed during the rule of the Assad family.
It is likely -according to the program United Nations Development- that the Syrian economy recovery needs to 10 years due to the grave losses caused by the local product, which is estimated at about 800 billion dollars, a number that reflects the fragrance of the damage to infrastructure and production sectors, in addition to the high rate of poverty 90% and extreme poverty 66%, which means that more than half of the population suffers from the inability to secure their basic needs.
A report prepared by the program stated that Syria In urgent need of increased growth rates through huge investments, reforms in government and economic management, and rebuilding basic infrastructure, such as education, health, energy and the operation of the productive sector, so that the economy can generate job opportunities and reduce dependence on aid.
In this regard, economist Abdel Sattar Damascene believes that the challenges facing Syria at the level of economic and social recovery are unprecedented. The figures reached by specialized international bodies, such as the International Bank and the United Nations Programs concerned, reflect the large size of the losses and crises left by the deposed president’s war over 14 years against his people.
He explained that the liberalization of the economy is the most appropriate options for the advancement of the country, especially since many economic experiences have been fought by the regime since the Baath Party dominated the ruling ended with failure, and instead of leading to the creation of economic growth created social disparities, inequality and a deep gap between a rich class – in power and its entourage – swallowed the big share of income, and a limited income layer lives for a day in many times, turned During the war years to a poor class and most of them suffer from extreme poverty.
In his speech to Al -Jazeera Net, Abdel Sattar linked the success of the open economy with an approach that balances economic freedom and social justice, adding that “the classification of 90% of the population of Syria is poor in light of the liberalization of the economy requires the existence of social safety networks that protect them from slipping towards extreme poverty, and ensures that they obtain basic health care services, equal education opportunities, and the adoption of support programs that ensure that the most vulnerable groups have obtained basic needs.”
He pointed out that the neglect of this important aspect of the new economic policy will increase the size of the suffering of most population, and create suffocating social crises that threaten society’s stability and reduce the opportunities for growth and human development.
Wide prospects and expensive challenges
The Syrians view the year 2025 as the most important turn for their country’s economy, and the United Nations ESCWA asserts that the collapse of the Assad regime has opened to Syria wide horizons towards the future. But the country – according to a report entitled “Syria at a crossroads” – is still facing many challenges against the background of a war that crushed the economy, destroyed the social breezes, and placed millions of population under the umbrella of extreme poverty.
Data indicates World Bank Until the GDP of the Syrian economy has shrunk more than 85%since 2011. As for the country’s exports, it decreased according to the Syrian foreign trade data for the same period by 89%, while imports fell to 81%, and the value of the lira against the US dollar fell 270 times.
For his part, the researcher and professor of macroeconomic economy at the Syrian National University, Ibrahim Gosheji, believes that reviving the economy taking into account the high costs that reconstruction needs is a major challenge that requires attracting foreign investments, international partnerships and innovative financing programs, contributing to attracting external investment.
Despite the catastrophic of the scene, Syria has huge natural wealth that can form – according to Gosheji – the nucleus of economic recovery, from oil and gas reserves to phosphate mines, to fertile agricultural lands that covered the region’s needs of wheat and cotton.
The exploitation of these resources faces serious challenges, most notably the destruction of productive infrastructure and the scarcity of foreign direct investment, but the post -conflict and current circumstances – according to the source – determine priorities, according to the needs and resources available, and it is supposed to focus on the most influential sectors in achieving economic and social stability.
Qoshji told Al -Jazeera Net that the optimal exploitation of natural resources would be the beginning, as it constitutes a real turning point towards economic stability, as it contributes to improving the exchange rate of the lira by increasing exports and reducing imports, and maximizing foreign exchange reserves. In addition to the investment in its associated industries, also to improve the purchasing power of citizens, support public investments, and create new job opportunities.
Whenever the government succeeded in managing the economic system in this way, its capabilities are strengthened – according to Qoshji – into a safe and flexible regional platform, capable of converting challenges into strengths that support sustainable growth, and re -draw the role of Syria as a vital tributary to the Economy and North Economies Africa.
Syria has natural resources – such as oil, gas, phosphates, minerals, wheat and cotton cultivation – that can play a crucial role – more feasible – in strengthening the Syrian economy, especially by replacing imports, strengthening exports, developing local industries, improving their production, and increasing added value.
Oil and natural gas production forecasts and phosphate
The oil and gas sector, in the opinion of the researcher Gosheji, is one of the most important resources that the government can support its efforts to revive the economy. And he sees that control Syrian Democratic Forces – Managed by Kurdish armed factions- on the largest oil fields in the country, an exceptional state imposed by the war led by Bashar al-Assad, the ousted, and it must return to the authority of the state.
International institutions and companies specialize in oil reserves in Syria are estimated at about 2.5 billion barrels, while natural gas reserves are estimated at 8.5 trillion cubic feet, while phosphate reserves are about 1.8 billion tons.
Qoshji believes that the redevelopment of the oil sector can raise production to 100,000 barrels per day during the next five years, which provides important income to support the state budget by reducing the import bill two billion dollars annually. As for the development of phosphate mines and the improvement of production and export operations, the sector is expected to achieve an annual income of about one billion dollars.
Improving phosphate extraction requires updating mining and investment technologies, and production is expected to cover 90% of domestic demand for fertilizers, and 70% of the supplies of the detergent industry, according to local reports. Instead of exporting raw phosphates at low prices, Syria can use them in the production of phosphate fertilizers locally, providing farmers ’needs and limiting import spending.
It is mentioned International Monetary Fund In a report that local philosophical fertilizers will save more than $ 500 million annually.
Gosheji expected that the local manufacturing strategy for fertilizers will contribute to achieving self -sufficiency in the agricultural sector, and Syria can also turn into a major source of phosphate fertilizers instead of importing it.
The United Nations Program for Trade and Development “UNCTAD” will achieve investment in phosphate and fertilizer mining an economic return from 3 to 5 billion dollars annually.
High quality agricultural resources
Syria is one of the most important agricultural countries in The Middle East Thanks to climate diversity and abundance of fertile lands. Agriculture is according to FAO 20% of GDP. It also provides more than 40% of direct and indirect jobs.
Wheat is located on top of the crops, where the country produces annually – in stability – about 4 million tons. Followed by olives, and its production volume is estimated at 700 thousand tons, which makes Syria one of the largest producers in the world, according to FAO.
In addition to wheat and olives, Syria is famous for the cultivation and quality of the cotton, which produces 300,000 tons per year.
The researcher Gosheji pointed out that investing in the agricultural sector begins from land reclamation and irrigation technology investment, and that the use of modern agriculture would raise wheat production and enhance Food security It thus provides raw materials for national food industries.
As for the increase in cotton production, it will provide the raw material for the weaving and weaving laboratories, and the manufacture of cotton clothing that Syria is famous for at the global level, as dependence on imports will decrease, and the foreign currency is available to revive the economy.