Syrians who have escaped the civil war in their country and have taken refuge in Gaziantep, one of Turkey's most important industry and trade centers, have also started entering the city's trade life. While there were only 10 Syrian firms registered to the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GTO) before the civil war, this number has now increased to 272 as of the end of 2014.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency , the Chairman of GTO Eyüp Bartık said that Turkey was one of the countries that helped and supported Syrians affected by the tragedy in Syria, which started in 2011, with Turkey and Syria having strong historical, cultural and economic bonds. While there are many Syrians who live in refugee camps, some Syrians have also rented houses in the city. In total, there are currently 350,000 Syrians who live in the city, some of which are registered to trade.
"The number of Syrian firms registered to our Chamber of Commerce has increased to 60 between 2011-2014 and then, there was a boom in 2014, as 212 companies were founded, reaching a total of 272 registered Syrian companies as of December 31, 2014. I also believe that this number will keep increasing," said Bartık.
There are around 14,055 members registered to the Chamber of Commerce in Gaziantep and Syrians who are aware that they might not be able to return to their countries anytime soon are trying to establish their lives and business in Gaziantep.
Bartık further noted that the Chamber of Commerce in Gaziantep also has members from Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., the Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Korea and China and added that they welcome anyone who wants to do business in Turkey.
