On challenges and investment opportunties
To what extent do you believe the country offers long-term investment opportunities?
MOUTAZ AL KHAYYAT: The coming years represent a window of opportunity for long-term investors seeking to participate in rebuilding economies and unlocking new growth potential. Reconstruction cycles historically create environments where early participation allows investors to contribute meaningfully to rebuilding efforts while establishing strong, long-term partnerships within the economy. Syria has significant underlying strengths, including its strategic geographic location, a skilled workforce and strong regional connectivity. As reconstruction progresses and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve, the investment environment is expected to become increasingly structured and predictable.
Where do you identify headwinds in the near term and how are they set to evolve in the coming years?
AL KHAYYAT: The primary challenges relate to infra-structure gaps, financing mechanisms and regulatory clarity. Large-scale projects require coordinated engagement between governments, private investors, development institutions and global partners, making the creations of frameworks for public-private partnerships (PPPs) and investment protection crucial. Encouragingly, there is growing momentum around the rebuilding of key sectors, especially energy and trans-port. As priority projects begin to advance and institutional frameworks strengthen, confidence among international investors is likely to increase.
Which steps can the government take to help maintain growth and attract investment?
AL KHAYYAT: Clarity and consistency in the regulatory environment remain key factors for investors. Strengthening legal frameworks that support PPPs and ensure investment protection is essential to building confidence and enabling long-term capital deployment. At the same time, prioritising infrastructure rehabilitation – particularly in energy, transport and logistics – is critical. These sectors act as enablers for the wider economy and their effective functioning unlocks growth across multiple industries.
How does Syria fit into the broader regional economic landscape and reconstruction dynamics?
AL KHAYYAT: Syria occupies a key position within the regional landscape, particularly in the context of economic recovery and infrastructure development across emerging and rebuilding markets. Its location at the crossroads of trade routes, combined with its human capital base, provides a strong foundation for reintegration into regional and global economic networks. More broadly, reconstruction economies present opportunities to develop infrastructure, restore productive capacity and rebuild essential services, while also enabling the introduction of more modern, efficient and integrated economic systems. This creates scope not only for recovery but for structural transformation. As institutional capacity strengthens and connectivity improves, such markets have the potential to evolve into increasingly stable and investable environments.
What is your long-term outlook for economic development over the next two to three years?
AL KHAYYAT: The priority is likely to centre on delivering infrastructure projects that can have an immediate impact on economic recovery. Energy generation and transport infrastructure will be key, as they underpin productivity, mobility and overall economic activity. At the same time, bolstering food security and agricultural production will play a critical role in rebuilding resilience and supporting domestic supply chains. As these sec-tors begin to stabilise, attention should shift towards areas such as urban development, industrial zones, logistics infrastructure and city planning. These developments can support the creation of new economic clusters, attract investment and generate employment.
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