Economists, academics stress that securing Aleppo-Damascus International highway will flourish commercial and industrial activity in Syria

ALEPPO, (ST)- The Syrian Arab army has completely secured the Aleppo-Damascus International highway after liberating all the areas in its vicinity from foreign-backed terrorists.

Technical workshops in Aleppo governorate started on Saturday to remove the barriers, barricades and the debris on the international Aleppo-Damascus highway at Aleppo’s western gate in order to start rehabilitation works in preparation for resuming the economic movement along this road.

The international road is a very vital line that links Aleppo to other Syrian provinces and that facilitates the flow of goods, the transit trade and the travelers transportation. It will also reduces the traffic congestion and the accidents that happen on the current road Khanaser-Athreya-Aleppo.   

The Syrians in general and the citizens in Aleppo in particular, mainly traders and industrialists, feel so happy over the army’s new achievement because of the road’s economic and commercial importance.

A number of academics, traders and industrialists in Aleppo explained to SANA the positive impacts and economic consequences of securing and reopening Aleppo-Damascus international highway.

Dr. Hassan Hazouri, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics of Aleppo University said that reopening the road will have very important positive impacts on the Syrian economy in terms of facilitating trade activities, reducing transportation costs and encouraging exportation, particularly as Aleppo is the Syria’s economic capital.

Reopening the road will vastly contribute to accelerating production potentials, ensuring raw materials and improving the livelihood of all citizens, he added.

Omar Izzat, director of Goods Transportation Office in Aleppo, said the road is one of the lifelines that connect Syrian provinces to each other and reopening it will achieve great flow of goods to all Syrian areas including Idleb which will restore its economic and trade activity.   

In Hama, Chairman of the Hama Chamber of Commerce Ayman Malandi said that securing Aleppo-Damascus road, which passes through Idleb and Hama, is a great achievement that will flourish commercial and economic activity in Syria and will be a strong incentive that supports the country’s reconstruction process.

Safwan al-Attarm, an economist, expressed hope that securing the road will be followed by reopening Aleppo airport and resuming air navigation.    

Hamda Mustafa