Al-Khalil: Syria exports small amounts of its products to 100 countries

DAMASCUS, JUN.4, (ST)-The Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Muhammad Samer Al-Khalil, has stressed that export achieves many goals and benefits for countries’ economies, and it constitutes a necessity and a basic source for securing foreign exchange and promoting production.

In an interview with Syrian TV channel, Minister Al-Khalil said that exports protect  the national currency and motivate the production process and economic growth in various sectors as well as reducing  the unemployment rate in the sectors in which it is active.

“Exports are an important source of income for a large segment of people,” the minister said, adding that the export policy in Syria aims to enhance the competitiveness of Syrian products in foreign markets.

He made it clear that over the past decade and a half, the export graph has seen ups and downs as a result of the circumstances to which Syria was exposed to, especially the terrorist war that was imposed on it, the closure of border crossings for a period of time, and the coercive economic measures imposed on the country.

The minister also  referred to the facilities and incentives being offered for exporters plus holding specialized exhibitions for export, noting that a large export exhibition will be held at the beginning of next September and it will  include food industries, textiles, chemicals and engineering products.

He underscored that the programs supporting exports are being evaluated permanently.

Al-Khalil indicated the ministry is currently working on a program for our exports with high added values and  studying the credit facilities provided to production projects that export more than 50% of their production capacity.

He concluded by saying: Syria now exports small amounts of  its products to about 100 countries.

Basma Qaddour