Bolat: Trade Between Turkey and Syria Will Accelerate Significantly Soon

Forex - Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, who inaugurated the Customs Laboratory in Gaziantep, stated, "Trade operations between Turkey and Syria, which have been ongoing at a very limited level between 2011-2024, will soon accelerate significantly."

Attending various programs, visits, and inaugurations in Gaziantep, Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat participated in the opening ceremony of the Customs Laboratory. In his speech at the opening ceremony held in the Gaziantep 2nd Organized Industrial Zone, Minister Bolat emphasized that trade between Turkey and Syria is set to accelerate following recent developments in Syria and the overthrow of the Assad regime.

"We are gathered for the inauguration of a beneficial initiative" Wishing that the newly opened Customs Laboratory would serve beneficial purposes and providing information about the facility, Minister Ömer Bolat stated, "We are together for the inauguration of a beneficial initiative in our Gaziantep, the center of industry, agriculture, trade, and transportation in Turkey. This laboratory, financed by GAIB under the Ministry of Trade, will be officially opened today. As my president mentioned, it is a very important laboratory. Because export and import operations need to be conducted very quickly. At this point, we need laboratory results to avoid delaying our exporters in shipment and to ensure that our importers do not face unnecessary delays in obtaining the supplies they require. Today, we, as the Ministry of Trade, serve with 158 active customs across the country. Gaziantep also has 5 active customs. Our Gaziantep province is notably a net exporter in foreign trade and contributes positively to Turkey’s net goods and services. In the first 11 months, it achieved a net export of 9.4 billion dollars, with imports valued at 6.2 billion dollars. Its total foreign trade volume is 15.5 billion dollars. By the end of the year, we hope this will reach 16.5 billion dollars. The figures I provided are based on activities starting from the beginning of 2024. In this regard, the relevant customs laboratory officially started operations on November 4. We are conducting its official opening today. It occupies a closed area of 4,432 square meters. Our Gaziantep Southeast Anatolia Exporters Union (GAIB) has provided significant financial support in this regard, for which we thank them. We appreciate their contributions to our country, our industry, and our exports. In this independent building, analyses related to various sectors such as food, basic chemicals, textiles, and polymers will be conducted. Gaziantep is particularly active in textiles, in every aspect, including apparel, home textiles, and the food sector, along with all its sub-products. We also thank the Organized Industrial Zone, which facilitated the land acquisition for this project. Thus, through cooperative efforts, we are bringing this beneficial facility into operation. In this context, within one and a half months at our Gaziantep Customs Directorate, analysis of 221 samples under 174 declarations was completed. From now on, processes will accelerate. Our laboratories will work in a way that will enhance your export competitiveness without causing losses. We have 8 customs laboratories. We provide services with these laboratories, which are accredited in 212 methods in Mersin, Bursa, Izmir, Ankara, Kocaeli, and Istanbul. We hope that our Gaziantep laboratory will also commence its accreditation processes in the coming months. I pray that it will be beneficial for the region and our country," he expressed.

"Trade between Turkey and Syria will accelerate significantly soon" Highlighting that trade activities between the two countries will increase following recent developments in Syria, Minister Bolat stated, "As you know, a new process began with the December 8 revolution in Syria. And the trade, which has been ongoing at a very limited level between 2011-2024, will hopefully accelerate significantly soon, speeding up trade, investment, and reconstruction. In this way, Turkey and Syria will achieve significant economic integration together. Moreover, Gaziantep’s sister city is Aleppo, and Hatay's sister city is Idlib. Thus, all of Syria is considered a sister country for us," he concluded.