Türkiye is working to strengthen economic and commercial relations with Syria while expanding cooperation to support Aleppo's reconstruction and economic development, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday.
Bolat's remarks came in Shaykh Najjar Industrial City in Aleppo, where he arrived for the first time since a visit in late 2004 with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In the city just 50 kilometers south of the Turkish border, Bolat met industrialists and business representatives and examined production activities, industrial infrastructure and commercial opportunities.
The minister emphasized Aleppo's central role in reviving the Syrian economy.
Earlier this week, Bolat visited Damascus with a business delegation and held talks with top Syrian officials.
Commercial ties between Türkiye and Syria gained momentum after the ouster of longtime dictator Bashar Assad in late 2024.
Ankara was the main backer of the opposition forces that overthrew Assad and has since pledged to help Syria's reconstruction and economic revival.
"While strengthening Türkiye-Syria economic and commercial relations, we are developing cooperation opportunities that will contribute to Aleppo's reconstruction and economic development," Bolat said.
He stressed that stronger bilateral economic and trade relations would contribute to the prosperity of both countries, highlighting the importance of measures to promote production, investment and exports.
Restoring production facilities, increasing employment and strengthening trade routes are crucial to Aleppo's economic recovery, the minister told business representatives.
Bolat said relations between Türkiye and Aleppo extend beyond commerce, pointing to nearly a millennium of kinship, neighborly ties and shared culture in the region.
Following his visit to the industrial zone, Bolat attended a roundtable meeting with Turkish and Syrian businesspeople.
The meeting focused on bilateral trade relations, Aleppo's economic situation, the city's reconstruction and measures to develop its industrial and commercial infrastructure.
Bolat said efforts to revitalize Aleppo were also of major importance for the future of the wider region.
On Thursday, Bolat attended a business meeting in Aleppo alongside Turkish and Syrian officials, lawmakers and investors.
He said the bilateral trade with Syria reached $3.75 billion in 2025, up 42% year-over-year.
The neighbors are eyeing reaching a $10 billion volume in the near future.
Bolat stated that the two countries achieved positive progress following three meetings with Syrian ministers over the past month.
The Turkish government is working to maximize its contribution to Syria's reconstruction and economic stability, the minister added.
He noted that Syria continues to rebuild its state structure across all sectors despite Western embargoes and Israeli military pressure over the past 20 months.
