National Fund for Reconstruction of Industrial Plants

 DAMASCUS,(ST) –The Industrial, Development and Modernization Program in Syria in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry held recently a workshop that discussed a document for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Syrian industry with national expertise for the current phase and after the crisis

The Deputy Minister of Industry, Dr. Jamal Al –Omar, pointed out that the figures provided by the program need close examination, especially that there are unsafe areas are still developing industrial plants which is known for its difficult access.

He emphasized the need for suitable proposals for the post-crisis with the Government’s vision for this phase and reconstruction to be able to set priorities that support the overall policy of the state with a focus on the basic industries that contribute to the reconstruction directly in addition to its compatibility with the vision of Syria’s future.

For his part, the National Coordinator of the Program of Modernization and Industrial Development, Fouad al -Lahham, reviewed the reality of the Syrian industry and obstacles that hinder development including  poor infrastructure and weak integration within the activities of the sector and other sectors as well as weakness of industrial financing, the high costs,  the difficulty of its conditions and the one-sided party that should ermapping out and implementing policies with a predominance of the management traditional style .

Mr. al –Lahham pointed out to the difficulties and challenges that the Syrian industry  faced during the last decade including liberalization of trade exchange and the opening of the domestic market as well as “the limited results of the implementation of the 10th Five Year Plan of the manufacturing sector” and raise of fuel prices internally and its effect on the prices of goods and services as well as delays in the implementation of a comprehensive program of modernization and industrial development and the creation of supportive institutions.

Experts who prepared the document estimated the damage to the industrial sector that have been counted so far, which included 720 private industrial establishments, about  230 billion Syrian pounds and the public sector 100 billion Syrian pounds, noting that these losses led to the fragmentation of industrial plants and moving abroad and the migration of a large number of industrialists, workers and experts and the work ceased in facilities under construction and investment spending stopped in the public sector companies and industrial sectors.

Participants suggested a series of immediate measures to rehabilitate the industry including the creation of an industrial development council comprising of ministers concerned with the industrial and national fund for the reconstruction and operation of industrial plants, providing short loans to accelerate the rehabilitation of infrastructure and ensuring alternative safe sites for industrial facilities that were destroyed or difficult to access and ensure the rapid transfer of raw materials, fuel and employees.

The document proposed the reconstruction of the Ministry of Industry to be changed to industrial policies ministry with a new development role and facilitating the process of opening credits for production requirements and work on stabilizing the exchange rate for a period of time, and exemption the machinery, equipment and means of transport which were destroyed or lost from fees and taxes imposed on import and acceleration in amending the current investment law.

The document also called to conduct sectorial modern studies and accelerate the creation of institutions supporting the industrial sector and activating the role of business organizations and building national expertise in the field of modernization and industrial development, awareness of industrialists and their organizations of the importance of the presence information and correct and realistic data to ensure the diagnosis and follow-up to the reality of the Syrian industry accurately.

The participants in the workshop referred to the need for a working group of specialized technicians of national to map out a detail program to implement policies and measures proposed after being adopted by the of the bodies concerned.

Sh. Kh.