Representing President Al-Assad, Prime Minister Opens 59th Damascus International Fair
Damascus, (ST) – Representing President Bashar al-Assad, Prime Minister Imad Khamis opened on Thursday Evening the 59th Damascus International Fair at the new Fairgrounds on Damascus International Airport highway.
On behalf of President al-Assad, Eng. Khamis welcomed Arab and foreign guests participating in the 59th session of the Damascus International Fair.
Eng. Khamis said that the launch of the Damascus International Fair this year carries a message to the whole world that the will of life among Syrians has been stronger than terrorism, raising the banner of the triumph of life over death, and right to falsehood and honor on treason and sovereignty over dependency.
The Prime Minister pointed out that “Without the blood and sacrifices of the martyrs and the wounded of the Syrian Arab Army and Syria’s loyal allies and friends, we could not have gathered to announce a new chapter of victory.” The Damascus International Fair comes after six year-stop in which Syria has offered the dearest of its sons and the most sacred of its blood in defense of its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. “
“We recall the great sacrifices of our armed forces that have brought security and safety to many parts of this country and made our fair a possible event. We must point out the tremendous efforts that have been made over the past months in order to provide the conditions for organizing this session where our brothers and sons were working hard day and night so we all can be here.
He pointed out that during the past years, attempts to overthrow the Syrian state institutions have been a central objective of the forces and conspiratorial states. Since the first moments of the crisis, they have targeted the Syrian infrastructure, public and private production facilities and natural and economic resources in a striking and blatant manner, not to mention the unilateral economic measures imposed by the West And some Arab regimes on the Syrian people.
The war, despite all the money, arms, gunmen and the media recruited, could not weaken the Syrians or their determination to live and stick to their principles and rights.
He pointed out that “Syria has lost many of its wealth and potentials during the crisis, and its potential developmental indicators decreased, which used to surpass those of many other states in the region.” The preliminary estimates of the economic and social losses suffered by Syria will be painful and shocking to the conscience of the human conscience. The war, despite all the money, arms, gunmen and information employed, could not break the Syrians and their determination to live and adhere to their principles, rights, excellence and creativity.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the anti-Syrian forces have not been able to recognize the level of institutional cohesion of the state. The institutional structure is still sound and solid, but the resources were affected. “These are the institutions of the Syrian state that were able to prepare this warm forum in cooperation with you to restore to the Syrian economy its brightness and strength. “
The economy that has survived throughout this crisis deserves to be a reliable partner for the present and for the future
“The economy that has survived throughout this crisis deserves to be a reliable partner for the present and for the future because a reliable partner with limited capabilities is better than a rich partner that is not credible or trustworthy,” Mr. Khamis said.
He pointed out that the return of life to the Damascus International Fair and the broad participation of local and foreign companies means that war officially failed to undermine the institutions of the Syrian state and failed to kill the determination and will of the Syrians.
“While our armed forces and loyal allies continue to win more victories over terrorism and restore new areas to the Syrian state, the government is fighting another battle, as freeing the country’s productive potential and re-investing resources and national resources to serve the country’s steadfastness and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian citizens of economic pressure due to the consequences of the war have been a key priority of the government, which has taken in this context a wide range of measures and decisions aimed at ensuring the return of the rotation of the wheel of production in the public and private sectors,” Mr. Khamis clarified.
“The holding of this edition of the Damascus International Fair is the culmination of those measures that will introduce national products and commodities, open up new markets for export and allow participants to meet, discuss joint investment opportunities, encourage expatriate investors to return to their homeland and contribute to its reconstruction and development,”Mr. Khamis added.
“The government is ready to provide all forms of support to strengthen our economic relations with all countries and facilitate all procedures for the implementation of contracts, deals and cooperation projects to be witnessed by the Fair,” Khamis said.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the success in re-turning the wheel of production under the circumstances of the war and its effects indicates that the determination of the Syrians in the stage of reconstruction will not be less than their determination that defeated terrorism given the spirit of life that is moving quickly in the areas liberated by our brave army, despite the destruction and devastation and given the will of many industrialists to restore and rehabilitate their factories in order to take off again without waiting for a decision from anyone, not to mention the involvement of thousands of young men and women since the beginning of the war in the national initiatives of relief, support and development. He noted that the lovers of Syria are confident and sure that it “will rise again like the phoenix.”
Eng. Khamis said that the support of many brothers and friends to Syria in reviving the oldest economic, social, cultural and artistic activity in the largest city of Fairs in the region and the largest occupancy area in the history of the exhibition confirms that Syria, in its battle against the terrorism which is threatened to the region and the world, is not alone and that attempts by some countries and governments to isolate and besiege Syria were in vain at both the popular and international levels, despite all the effects of those attempts on the lives of citizens and their living as well as economic and health conditions.
He pointed out that Syria’s strategic geographical location has played a role in thwarting the attempts of boycott and siege. However, Syria decades-old strategy of opening up policies to Arab and international countries and its concern for the just causes of peoples and their support in the face of the forces of colonialism and hegemony has the most prominent impact in foiling what was planned despite every conspiracy and overt collusion by some regimes and governments, but our confidence in the peoples, their awakening and values remains unlimited.
Syria is keen to strengthen and expand areas of cooperation with all countries for the benefit and interests of the peoples of the region
The Prime Minister expressed Syria’s keenness to strengthen and expand cooperation with all countries for the benefit of the peoples of the region, adding that “the doors of Syria will remain open for all investors and businessmen to work and invest and build economic partnerships that realize the aspirations of our people in restoring Syria to its role and economic position at the regional and the world levels”.
“The national project for administrative reform launched by President Bashar al-Assad will address the difficulties that may hinder the optimal flow of investments such as red tape and bureaucracy.” The government is currently working on finalizing the modernization modern investment law to encourage investment in all its forms and open doors to ensure guarantee and safety of the investor and reduce the level of risk to a minimum level and open prospects for increased returns and ensure the freedom of movement of capital as the government will be present to provide all the necessary financial, customs and banking facilities that would enhance investment opportunities,” Eng. Khamis stressed.
He said that it is necessary in the age of blocs “to meet on a project of a unified economic bloc that includes friends of peace and sovereignty to build an economic system that allows the maintenance of sovereign decisions and to confront the trends of economic colonization and break the vicious economic sanctions that deprive children of milk and patients of medicine and citizens of food only for colonial political gains “.
Eng. Khamis pointed out that the economy must be a means to achieve the well-being of the people and not a weapon of mass destruction of societies, colonization and enslavement and confiscation of its decision. Therefore, today we are called upon more than ever to join forces to form an economic safety net that maintains our choices and decisions.
The Prime Minister expressed hope that this event will be an opportunity to start cooperation based on frequent and continuous meetings that announce the birth of a new phase of economic diplomacy and economic, cultural and commercial cooperation in the interest of all. He noted the great positive role played by the Syrian business sector in all fields during the crisis in general and in preparation for the activities of this fair in particular. He called on all businessmen and all the Syrians to return to Syria and work together to contribute to reconstruction and overcome the remnants of the terrorist war imposed on them.
“From this place, which is the title of victorious Syria, we tell you that Syria is alive,” Eng. Khamis concluded his speech.
For his part, Director of the General Organization for Exhibitions and International Markets Fares Kartalli highlighted the efforts exerted by all national events to make the 59th edition of Damascus International Fair successful, noting that the participation of forty-three countries prove that there are honest persons in this world who believe in Syria and its position.
He expressed warm welcome to the distinguished Arab and international presence in the fair, which is the largest in the history of the fair in terms of the volume of occupancy, pointing to the participation of tens of thousands of workers in the preparation process to meet the needs of the fair in all aspects and the resulting export contracts.
Mr. Kartalli stressed that the exhibitions industry is one of the important industries that we have to sponsor, because it creates jobs and makes profits. These industries have made an important step in Syria, where the number of exhibitions in the last period reached 120 exhibitions in the provinces, pointing out that today we behold the new face of Syria, recovery and reconstruction, as we proved that we have the determination and that the experience of the fair is a proof of the creative potentials of the Syrian people, who has always maintained two firm concepts: “dignity and productivity.”
“We promise President Bashar al-Assad to go ahead and build up what terrorism has destroyed everywhere, each in his/her place, our children in their schools, our workers in their factories and our farmers in their land hugging the grains of our soil to produce good, love and tenderness,” Mr. Kartalli concluded.
Sharifal-Khatib