Retail & Trade

In this interview, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in Hama, Samir Faysal Al-Habbal, delves into the economic impact of the fall of the regime for traders in Hama; from the revamping of the customs systems to the adoption of the free market.  He advocates for the establishment of an industrial city, a free zone and a dry port as key tools to boost the economic development of the governorate.

BMW Group Middle East appointed on September 22 Citadel Premium Motors as the official importer of BMW and MINI vehicles in Syria, marking the German carmaker’s return to the market after years of absence.

IVECO, an Italian multinational transport vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Turin, has announced a “strategic agreement” with Ghassan Aboud Motors — a subsidiary of Ghassan Aboud Group — to enter the Syrian market. 

In 2025, Syrian exports exceeded USD 2 billion, with oil exports accounting for 10 percent and phosphate for 3 percent. Syria has considerably increased its exports to countries like Egypt, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Italy, but its exports to Turkey have significantly shrunk, dropping from USD 437.57 million in 2024 to USD 235.1 million in 2025. 

The Syrian-Uzbek Economic Forum held in Aleppo last week reflected Damascus’ growing efforts to diversify its economic partnerships and reposition Syria as a commercial transit hub amid ongoing geopolitical disruptions across the region. However, the forum took place only days after violent confrontations in Idlib between Syrian security forces and Uzbek fighters, underlining the complex overlap between Syria’s economic diplomacy and unresolved security dynamics involving thousands of foreign fighters still present in Syria, mostly in the northwest. 

Turkish clothing retailer LC Waikiki has opened its first store in the Damasquino Mall. In the last year and a half, 18 companies with Turkish shareholders have established a branch in Syria.

Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 109 of 2026 enacting a new Customs Law. The text focuses on modernising the customs administration to ensure a smoother processing. It also defines the operation framework for freezones and grants customs officers more power - including the use of weapons - to combat smuggling.

On Monday, the European Council officially reinstated the EU-Syria Cooperation Agreement after lifting the partial suspension introduced in 2011. 

The Ministry of Finance issued two decisions on March 24 establishing an advance tax payment system and stricter compliance requirements for importers. According to official statements, these measures aim to enhance tax equity, curb tax evasion, and improve the availability of accurate data to support fiscal policymaking and commercial activity. However, some traders have expressed concerns that the requirement to present tax clearance certificates will lead to delays, while the advance payment may add a financial burden on small traders.

In 2025, Syria’s imports from regional and Asian countries recorded a substantial year-on year increase: imports from Jordan increased by 353 percent, imports from Saudi Arabia surged by 223 percent, imports from Turkey rose by 60 percent. In post-conflict contexts, an increase in imports is common, due to the restart of trade routes that were disrupted during the years of conflict, the often-low capacity of national industries to respond to the increased demand, and the high demand for machinery and construction materials that follow the reconstruction process.

Traders and industrialists in the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES) areas have faced higher transportation costs in the past two months when importing goods due to the decision of the Transitional Government to close the internal crossings between the central government and AANES areas. Most traders were importing goods from Turkey via Aleppo, but are now forced to resort to a long detour via Deir-ez-Zor or to use the emerging smuggling routes via Ras Al-Ayn or Tal Abyad.

Free zones are a key economic tool to boost exports and attract investments. Over the last 14 years, Syrian free trade zones have faced severe challenges, impacted by the conflict and sanctions, but their role is still frequently evoked in discussions about Syria’s economic recovery.

Rady Al-Qassem, a board member of the Damascus and Rural Damascus Chamber of Industry (DRDCI), discusses in this interview the industrial landscape and the situation of the chamber following the fall of the Assad regime.

Seven months into the post-Assad Syria era, the business and industrialist communities are caught between optimism and caution. This article offers a glimpse into the mosaic of perspectives from businessmen and businesswomen from Damascus and Aleppo. Some of them stayed in Syria during the 14-year-conflict, others have recently returned after years in exile; some view the free market policies of the transitional government as an opportunity, others as a threat.

A month after the ousting of the Assad regime, the caretaker authorities led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) have issued several regulations on the operations of the border crossings with Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan.

The Syrian government and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria appear to have reached trade deals for certain commodities needed in the northeast and wheat needed in regime-held areas. 

Although Jordan is at the forefront of rapprochement efforts with the regime, its air force allegedly launched two airstrikes over southern Syrian territory, killing an infamous drug lord and destroying a drug factory. The strikes came less than a week after Damascus agreed to tackle drug trafficking on its border with Jordan and Iraq and days after Amman seized its largest captagon shipment of the year.

Syrian-Chinese trade in 2022 reached its lowest point in 20 years due to surging global shipping costs, although China continues to rank among Syria’s largest trade partners. Meanwhile, Beijing’s contributions to earthquake relief have been minimal relative to other donors.

Although it is too early to assess the impact, the recent earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria will likely pose an additional challenge to Syrian investors, many of whom own businesses located in Turkey's earthquake-hit southern provinces.

Lebanon’s exports to Syria increased by 290 percent last year, according to the Lebanese Customs Authorities. Curiously, one commodity, polyethylene, made up 74 percent of Lebanon’s exports to Syria last year, surging by nearly 30,000 percent year-on-year despite accounting for lower volumes.