Türkiye plans to revive Syria’s economy, trade by becoming key gateway to Gulf

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aims to leverage the potential collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and the ongoing Gaza ceasefire for political and economic gain.

If events unfold favorably, there could be an influx of hundreds of billions of dollars in rebuilding contracts, new trade opportunities, and increased geopolitical influence, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

As hundreds of Turkish trucks transport food, medicine, and construction materials daily across the Syrian border, Erdogan is positioning Türkiye to play a leading role in Syria's reconstruction efforts. With the need to rebuild cities, hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure, Turkish officials are holding frequent meetings to streamline their involvement.

Shares in Turkish cement and steel producers have surged since Bashar al-Assad’s regime weakened, and Turkish Airlines has resumed flights to Damascus after a 13-year break. 

“Türkiye is eying to capture the lion’s share in Syria’s reconstruction,” said Oytun Orhan, a Syria specialist at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Ankara. “When the Syrian opposition captured Damascus, Türkiye won the opportunity to monetize its years of direct or indirect support for them.”

Türkiye believes its ambitions to play a larger role in Syria’s future have implicit support from both the US and Israel, provided it refrains from targeting Syrian Kurdish forces and moderates its criticism of Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank. Türkiye funds and advises the Syrian National Army (SNA), which helped bring down Assad and has been focused on seizing additional territory from Kurdish forces in northern Syria. 

“Türkiye has the capacity to speedily repair Syria’s airports, power grid and telecommunication network while rebuilding housing units and infrastructure,” said Murat Yesiltas, security policy director of the Ankara-based SETA think tank, which advises Erdogan’s government. “It can even rehabilitate Syria’s natural gas and oil fields in the future.” 

Erdogan has a great deal personally at stake. Following his re-election in 2023, he is focused on extending his rule and solidifying his legacy by reviving a peace plan with the Kurdish minority. This could help improve his political standing after the country entered a recession and struggles to tackle one of the highest inflation rates in the world. 

For the Kurds, the offer is financial. Turkish officials point to robust trade relations with the Iraqi Kurdish administration as a model for what could be achieved in Syria if relations improve. Turkish companies have already built hospitals, airports, shopping malls, and luxury hotels in Iraq. 

To strengthen its economic and political influence in Syria, Turkey has offered assistance to de facto leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa in rebuilding damaged infrastructure, providing military aid, and backing Türkiye-supported Syrian rebels. Turkey has also called on Gulf countries to help fund projects expected to cost hundreds of billions of dollars. 

In Aleppo, where half the city is in ruins, Turkish builders are already assessing reconstruction opportunities. The country also needs assistance with repairing its power grid and building new dams. Trade is another area of focus. Once security stabilizes, Turkey plans to use Syria as a key trade route to the Gulf, replacing the more costly shipping route through Egypt.

By Naila Huseynova