Shafaq News – Damascus

Syria’s industrial sector is showing signs of strong recovery, with around 1,500 new factories entering production across the country, a Syrian senior official said on Monday.

Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Mohammad Yassin Hourieh told Shafaq News that Aleppo province accounted for the largest share, hosting about 1,100 new facilities, mainly in the food, chemical, and textile industries. The government has introduced broad customs exemptions, waiving duties on industrial machinery and equipment entering through border crossings to accelerate reconstruction and restart production lines.

On foreign investment, Hourieh revealed that new agreements are being finalized to establish joint industrial cities, including Chinese, free-zone, and Turkish projects. He explained that Syria’s economy follows a free-market model that protects domestic industries while ensuring fair competition in local and foreign markets.

“The government is implementing an integrated package of measures to reduce production costs and stimulate exports, while addressing issues related to energy, taxation, smuggling, and border control,” Hourieh noted.

Syria’s industrial recovery remains constrained by chronic energy shortages and limited financing despite a surge in new factories and investment. Years of conflict left much of the country’s infrastructure damaged, forcing industries to depend on costly generators and imported materials.