Syrian Expats Visit Homeland to Discuss Ways to Contribute to Reconstruction in Syria

DAMASCUS, (ST)- A delegation of Syrian expatriates from “Warsaw Gathering” is visiting Syria to voice their political and economic support for their motherland, to break the siege imposed on Syria and to hold meetings aiming to discuss ways to contribute to the reconstruction process in their homeland, particularly as the delegation comprises a number of businessmen.

 Today, the delegation met with Minister of Public Works and Housing Hussein Arnous. The two sides discussed investment cooperation, the expatriates’ participation in the reconstruction era in Syria and the expatriates’ experience in the area of building.

The minister explained to the delegation the vast destruction of many residential areas and services buildings as a result of the terrorist war on Syria; a huge damage that requires meeting the needs of the locals of these areas for houses in the coming era. He called for mobilizing all potentials, effort and funds to contribute to constructing the residential buildings as to help the displaced people return.

 He encouraged the expatriates to carry out investments in Syria particularly because there are safe areas where they can build factories, stressing the ministry’s readiness to cooperate and coordinate with the investors and provide facilitations in this respect.

Head of the delegation Nabeel al-Malazi, on his part, affirmed that the delegation’s visit aimed at voicing the solidarity of the delegation’s members with their fellow citizens in the homeland in the face of the ordeal Syria is passing through, at finding out how they can help ease the suffering of the Syrians and meet their needs and at participating in the country’s reconstruction process.

Members of the delegation reviewed to the minister the fields in which they are willing to cooperate with the ministry, such as constructing residential areas and securing the requirements of  small and medium-sized enterprises.  They asserted that several expatriates are willing to establish joint companies to carry out investments, a willing that needs providing necessary legal environment and facilitations by the government.

The delegation arrived in Damascus on Sunday on a week-long visit aiming primarily at supporting  Syria in the political, economic and media fields and at pushing  for breaking the siege and lifting the unjust sanctions imposed on their homeland.

Speaking to SANA, the delegation members said that they will exert more pressure on the governments of their countries of residence to lift the unjust sanctions against the Syrian people.

According to SANA, Dr. Maher al-Attar, the delegation coordinator, said that the delegation includes a large number of businessmen who will be briefed on the investment opportunities in Syria, including the joint tourism and industrial projects and will discuss reconstruction and humanitarian relief issues, adding that the members of the delegation are also working for holding an expatriates’ conference in Syria by the end of 2016.

He pointed out that the expatriates are looking forward to participate in the sustainable development process in Syria by supporting small and medium enterprises, which will lead to activate the production process again at an accelerated pace.

For their part, the delegation members said that the delegation wants through its current visit to Syria to move from the media stage, which is to confront the conspiracy against Syria and to expose conspirators, to the practical stage by searching for ways to help the Syrians and stand by their side, affirming that the Syrian communities abroad have expertise that can contribute to the reconstruction era in Syria.

The delegation includes figures from various political, economic, media, and social backgrounds that represent the Syrian communities abroad, along with a number of European journalists.

Hamda Mustafa