UAE’s Emaar Announces Nineteen Billion Dollar Projects as Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum Concludes in Damascus

The activities of the third day of the First Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum concluded at the People's Palace in Damascus, held under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Mr. Ahmed Al-Sharaa. The event witnessed a prominent participation from the delegation of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Industry and the Chamber of Industry of Damascus and its Countryside, headed by Dr. Mazen Deirwan, Chairman of the Federation, and attended by several board members and industrial officials from various Syrian governorates.{C}

The sessions opened with official remarks delivered by Dr. Mohamed Nidal Al-Shaar, Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry, and Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by the prominent media figure Loubna Bouza, featuring the Head of the Syrian Investment Authority, Talal Al-Hilali, the Chairman of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Industry, Mazen Deirwan, alongside prominent Emirati investors.{C}

During the discussion, the founder of Emaar Properties, Mr. Mohamed Alabbar, announced the group's intention to enter the Syrian real estate investment market with mega projects estimated at approximately $19 billion. He emphasized the promising economic potentials that Syria possesses in the fields of industry, trade, and tourism, predicting the capability to attract 8 million tourists over the next five years. For his part, the Chairman of Sankari Investment Group, Mr. Abdul Kader Sankari, revealed that the United Arab Emirates has sponsored a project to restore the Umayyad Mosque and its surrounding areas in Old Damascus to preserve its archaeological and Islamic value, while highlighting the efforts of the "Hand" humanitarian foundation in the country.

In the context of enhancing the investment environment, the Head of the Syrian Investment Authority, Talal Al-Hilali, called on investors to take immediate advantage of the available legal facilities that guarantee their rights. Furthermore, Dr. Mazen Deirwan emphasized the resilience and deep-rooted heritage of the Syrian industrial sector, revealing that more than 4,000 new industrial licenses were granted during the year 2025. He noted that all plots in Adra Industrial City have been fully occupied, with planning underway for an upcoming expansion to accommodate the new influx of companies and investors benefiting from the highly attractive tax incentives

13/5/2026