Association of Syrian Businessmen (SİAD) Chairman Khaled Babli has said that Syrian businessmen converted $1.4 million to Turkish lira in the framework of a campaign to support the local currency in Turkey, adding: "Our aim is to make small steps towards the recovery of the Turkish lira. We expected our members to help and we have behaved in a brotherly manner with our [Turkish] brothers."

Babli told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he came to Gaziantep from Syria three years ago and started a business, opening a construction company and later founding SİAD to bring Syrian businessmen together under a single roof. The businessmen are cooperating with other Syrian entrepreneurs in areas across Turkey, making contributions to the Turkish economy through partnerships with Turkish businesspersons and attendance of business fairs across the country. SİAD already has 300 members, located in Turkey and abroad. The association has offices in Gaziantep, Mersin and Istanbul.

Underlining that the Turkish economy is quite robust, Babli said that even though they did not bring high amounts of money to Turkey, they still believe that they planted a small seed in the Turkish economy. So far, they have converted export revenues totaling $1.4 million: "These are our real and intimate feelings. As Syrians, we want to, at the very least, repay part of what the Turks have given us," he said.