Interview: Bader Al Kharafi, Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, Zain, on how telecommunications investment can support Syria’s reconstruction
By what means can telecommunications underpin economic recovery and longer-term resilience?
BADER AL KHARAFI: Telecommunications is foundational reconstruction infrastructure. It reconnects people, businesses and institutions; lowers transaction costs; and creates the platform on which investment, employment and digital commerce can develop. In a post-conflict economy, the first responsibility is to protect continuity while rebuilding what has been damaged. Syria’s internet penetration remains below 40%, while basic mobile penetration was around 71% in 2025, indicating both a substantial access gap and considerable latent demand. The practical priorities are therefore broad coverage, resilient networks, affordable data and access to smart devices. These must be developed alongside local partnerships, national talent and room for smaller enterprises to grow.
What lessons from other post-conflict markets are most relevant help rebuild the country’s broader national digital infrastructure?
AL KHARAFI: The clearest lesson is to establish the digital foundation first and then build services around it. Restoration has to be rapid, but it must also create a network that is more resilient, capable and efficient than the one it replaces. Experience in Iraq and Sudan illustrates the importance of sustained investment, disciplined execution and adaptation to conditions on the ground. In Iraq, more than $555m was invested and 1288 new sites were deployed in 2025. In Sudan, more than 815 sites were restored and roughly 90% network availability was re-established in safe areas.
These examples show that recovery depends on prioritising high-impact locations, protecting critical assets and restoring service without losing sight of modernisation. Syria will require the same balance: immediate continuity for households and businesses followed by phased upgrades, stronger redundancy and a technology roadmap that avoids recreating legacy constraints. Local operating knowledge is also important. Reconstruction succeeds when international experience is combined with Syrian expertise, suppliers and institutions, so that capability remains in the country and the network can be sustained over time.
In what ways are cloud services, artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres changing the role of telecommunications operators?
AL KHARAFI: Operators are evolving from connectivity providers into digital-service platforms. Secure networks remain central, but enterprises and public institutions increasingly require cloud access, managed services, cybersecurity and data capabilities to digitalise at scale. In the Levant, data traffic is expected to double between 2026 and 2030, with 5G accounting for over half of traffic by 2030. That trajectory makes cloud-native architecture and local content-delivery capacity key because they improve performance, lower transit costs and allow services to scale.
AI adds another layer of efficiency through network automation, predictive maintenance, fraud analytics, customer-experience management and digital assistants. These applications enable an operator to identify problems before they interrupt service and to allocate resources more precisely. In Syria, the strongest near-term impact will come from combining high-quality 5G broadband, cloud-enabled services and AI-driven operations. Together, these capabilities can support smart city systems, industrial internet-of-things applications, digital health and education, and more accessible public services, while improving the reliability and efficiency of the underlying network.
How can telecommunications advance financial inclusion and improve services for Syrian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)?
AL KHARAFI: Mobile connectivity can reach people and firms before many forms of physical infrastructure, making it one of the fastest routes to broader financial participation and SME development. The opportunity is to build an ecosystem around secure, affordable access: digital payments, merchant acceptance, digital identity, e-government, e-commerce and cloud tools for smaller firms. Cloud and managed solutions are particularly valuable because they give SMEs enterprise-grade capabilities without heavy upfront investment. The most promising near-term applications include mobile wallets, instant transfers, microfinance, education and skills platforms, and digitally delivered public services.
Syria shows demand through the uptake of ride-hailing, food delivery and e-commerce. The operator’s role is twofold: to provide relevant services where appropriate, and to supply the reliable, secure connectivity on which banks, financial technology firms, retailers and public agencies can build their own solutions.
Which conditions are required to attract long-term private investment in Syria’s digital infrastructure?
AL KHARAFI: Digital infrastructure requires patient capital, so investors need a clear policy and regulatory framework, predictable licensing, fair spectrum allocation and credible investment protection. A 25-year licence, comprising an initial 20-year term and a five-year extension, provides an appropriate planning horizon. Access to approximately 370 MHz of spectrum creates capacity for nationwide mobile broadband, while defined obligations for 5G non-standalone from the first year and 5G standalone from the second give the rollout a measurable sequence.
These commitments must be supported by a resilient national fibre backbone, dependable global connectivity and sound wholesale arrangements. Transparent access to sites, towers, ducts and other passive infrastructure also reduces duplication and accelerates deployment. Regulation should remain agile enough for operators to introduce new services, while providing clear rules for cloud provision and secure cross-border data flows.
What role can telecom firms play in promoting digital entrepreneurship and national capabilities?
AL KHARAFI: Infrastructure produces its greatest economic value when local people and businesses can build on it. That requires more than network investment: it calls for partnerships with universities, industry and the entrepreneurial community, as well as deliberate development of Syrian technical and managerial talent. Start-up programmes can connect founders with mentorship, technology, venture investment and routes to market. Global expertise can accelerate the transfer of operating practices in areas such as cloud, cybersecurity, data services and advanced network management, but the objective should be to establish durable national capability. Local suppliers and SMEs should also have clear opportunities to participate in deployment and service delivery.
How is greater competition likely to shape the telecommunications market and digital economy?
AL KHARAFI: Effective competition raises expectations across price, quality, coverage, reliability, customer experience and innovation. For consumers, this brings greater choice and stronger service standards. For businesses and the government, it can accelerate the availability of enterprise connectivity, cloud services, managed networks and digital platforms. The objective should not be simply to redistribute existing market share but to expand the digital economy by reaching underserved users and enabling new activity.
Zain, for example, has said it plans to launch 5G in Syria from its first year of operation – its ninth market and fifth 5G deployment – targeting over 30% population coverage in year one, rising to 80% by year five, with 5G standalone introduced from year two. The operator has earmarked more than $800m for network modernisation and 5G over the coming decade. Commitments of this scale show how new entrants can bring fresh capital and investment into a market.
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