The governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), Fatih Karahan, has visited Damascus for talks with senior Syrian officials, marking the first visit by a Turkish central bank governor to Syria since 2010.
Karahan began his visit with a meeting at the Turkish Embassy in Damascus with Türkiye's ambassador to Syria, Nuh Yılmaz. He later met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani during a visit to the Foreign Ministry.
The Turkish central bank governor then held talks with Syrian Central Bank Governor Mohammed Safwat Raslan.
During the meeting, the two sides agreed to establish reciprocal deposit accounts between their central banks, a step aimed at strengthening financial cooperation.
They also agreed to expand technical and institutional cooperation between the two central banks, provide technical support to the Syrian Central Bank and facilitate commercial and financial transactions between the two countries.
As part of the visit, Karahan and Raslan visited the graves of Turkish martyrs at the Umayyad Mosque and the tomb of Saladin, where they offered prayers.
The delegation later toured Damascus' Old City, visiting the Anbar School, the historic Khalid al-Azm Palace and the Assad Pasha Khan.
Karahan concluded his visit with a trip to Mount Qasioun, where officials briefed him on the planned Qasioun Tour tourism project.
In a post on X, Karahan thanked Syrian officials for their hospitality and expressed confidence that closer cooperation between the Turkish and Syrian central banks would contribute to the economic prosperity of both countries.
"I believe the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our central banks will provide a strong foundation for the shared prosperity and economic development of our countries," he wrote.
Raslan also said in a post on social media that he was pleased to host Karahan in Damascus.
"What brings us together goes beyond official protocol. It is the bonds of brotherhood and friendship. With this understanding, we are building meaningful partnerships, strengthening our relations and opening new avenues of cooperation for the benefit of our peoples and for a stronger future for both countries," Raslan said.
