Damascus-SANA
Today, the People's Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee discussed the investment budget of the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade and its affiliates, amounting to 3 billion and 71 million Syrian pounds.
The interventions of the committee members focused on the automation project, determining import and export data, developing free zones, and investing in the exhibition city throughout the year.
A number of members questioned the renewable energies project in all regions, the completion of the investment map, and the issue of the interruption of the import of some types of necessary medicines, and a number of them demanded that they be given an overview of the results of the Syrian participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai.
For his part, the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Dr. Muhammad Samer Al-Khalil, gave an overview of the economic reality, the challenges it faces, and the efforts made by the government to overcome and limit them, indicating the support mechanisms in place and government approaches in this direction to direct support to those who deserve it.
Minister Al-Khalil also gave a presentation on the participation of Syrian events in Expo 2020 Dubai and the meetings that took place on the sidelines with Emirati ministers and the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in addition to economic activities and promotion of Investment Law No. 18 and the investment opportunities available in Syria.
In response to the committee members’ questions, Minister Al-Khalil indicated that the General Corporation for Free Zones has reached a good level in the matter of automation and networking, which is expected to be completed in full next year, and that the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority has completed the investment budget with the subject of a comprehensive survey of these projects, and that the Public Corporation For fairs and international markets, a large part of the budget is allocated to rehabilitating the fairgrounds.
Regarding the Syrian Investment Authority, Minister Al-Khalil pointed out that in the coming year there will be a special program for the electronic work environment, where all information will be provided electronically to the investor, in coordination with the Ministry of Communications and Technology, explaining that the next plan of the Ministry is the networking that brings together the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade in terms of import and export With the Central Bank of Syria and the Ministry of Finance and General Customs.
Minister Al-Khalil revealed that the readiness of the joint Syrian-Jordanian free zone will be completed and announced soon, noting that preparations are underway to hold the Iranian exhibition in Damascus in cooperation with the Iranian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Mines in the period from November 29 to December 3.
Minister Al-Khalil pointed out that there are unremitting efforts from all sides to not interrupt any type of imported medicine despite the unilateral sanctions that impede the import of some types of medicine or delay their arrival.