A New Economic Roadmap for the Syrian Federation of Chambers of Industry Toward Market Liberalization and Production Competitiveness

In an explicit declaration launching a new phase that dismantles centralist dominance and restores confidence in free market forces, the General Assembly of the Syrian Federation of Chambers of Industry unveiled an unconventional economic roadmap. The General Assembly held its second general meeting—its first following liberation—attended by the Minister of Economy and Industry, Dr. Nidal Al-Shaar, his deputy, Eng. Basel Abdul Hanan, and the Assistant Minister for Industrial Affairs, Mr. Mohammad Yassin Houria, alongside the President of the Federation of Chambers of Industry, Dr. Mazen Deirwan, with broad participation from members of the Federation Council and board members of chambers across various governorates, to draw a comprehensive roadmap aimed at revitalizing national industry and restoring its position in global markets.

 

During his opening address, the President of the Syrian Federation of Chambers of Industry emphasized that this meeting represents a historic milestone in regaining the Federation's leadership role after years of paralysis and absence throughout the revolution period. He explained that the board, which assumed its duties in late 2025, operates from a vision that positions industry as the engine of economic recovery and development. He noted that restoring competitiveness requires persistent efforts to reduce production costs, upgrade and automate machinery, and elevate Syrian product quality. He reviewed the primary demands submitted to the governmental team, foremost among which are removing customs duties on raw materials and production inputs, lowering energy prices to international levels, and abolishing the land border transport queue system (Maktab Al-Dawr). Additionally, demands included enforcing reciprocal treatment with countries restricting national exports, imposing protective tariffs against dumping policies, subjecting imports to testing to ensure compliance with specifications, and reducing participation fees for foreign exhibitions. He also highlighted the Federation's active participation in amending laws and regulations to cut taxes, collaborating with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to update training programs and study digital business platforms, and conducting field visits to industrial facilities across all governorates to support investment.

 

For his part, the Minister of Economy and Industry, Dr. Nidal Al-Shaar, stressed that the current phase requires unconventional tools. He explained that the Ministry is pursuing a path centered on empowering the Federation to become the official, direct coordination channel with the government, thereby granting the private sector greater autonomy. Al-Shaar noted that direct pricing mechanisms and traditional state intervention do not align with transparency and a free economy. He pointed out that the state's role should be confined to facilitation and exceptional intervention to protect the national product through flexible mechanisms such as protective tariffs, tax policies, and logistical support. Concluding his remarks, Al-Shaar issued a direct call to industrialists and the Federation to present an integrated national system for industrial development that includes a clear vision and precise key performance indicators (KPIs) defining the requirements for industrial revival, stressing that this vision must be directed to the entire Syrian people as a partner in the reconstruction process.

 

In turn, the Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry, Eng. Basel Abdul Hanan, affirmed that the time has come to modernize the legislative environment and grant the Federation and individual chambers true authority to lead development, noting that field reports regarding factory re-openings confirm that the wheels of industrial revival have indeed begun to turn.

 

In the same context, the Assistant Minister for Industrial Affairs, Mr. Mohammad Yassin Houria, considered the meeting a qualitative step toward enhancing direct communication and fulfilling industrialists' demands to transition Syrian products from local self-sufficiency to international competitiveness, confirming the government team's readiness to adjust concepts and fee structures to serve national interests.

 

On the organizational level, the Syrian Federation of Chambers of Industry announced its action plan and vision for 2026 to boost the competitiveness of local products. Regarding financial matters, the Federation's Treasurer, Mr. Hassan Daaboul, presented details of the financial position statement up to the end of 2025 in the interest of transparency and discharge of liability—which was approved by the General Assembly—alongside the estimated budget for 2026. He noted that previous years had imposed an exceptional reality during which the Federation's activities were restricted to minimal routine operations without sufficient revenue or properly allocated expenditures due to the harsh conditions endured by the national industry overall.

 

The meeting also witnessed discussions on establishing mechanisms to unify membership fees across Syrian chambers of industry, approving an adjustment to the Federation's share of fixed chamber subscriptions unchanged since 2006, and activating legal provisions making membership and renewal mandatory to boost chamber revenues. The Assembly was also informed of a proposal to form sectoral and specialized committees uniting the chambers to follow up on all sectors. Furthermore, discussions addressed standard specifications and imported goods, alongside mechanisms for Federation participation in inspecting local and imported goods for compliance with Syrian standards. This item was discussed with Mr. Yasser Al-Aliwi, Director General of the Syrian Standards and Metrology Organization, regarding Syrian standards and the challenges industrialists face across governorates in obtaining them. Mr. Al-Aliwi clarified in this regard that an ongoing project exists to align Syrian standards with Saudi standards in a manner that serves Syrian needs and regulatory frameworks.

 

The General Assembly concluded its work by agreeing to prepare for a comprehensive annual exhibition to display Syrian products and open export opportunities, seek acquisition of real estate to accommodate the Federation's expansion activities, and adopt regular monthly meetings to follow up on decision implementation and advance national industry

 

22/7/2026