The First National Private Sector Dialogue Conference in Syria 2026: Events and Recommendations
The First National Private Sector Dialogue Conference in Syria 2026: Events and Recommendations
The activities of the First National Private Sector Dialogue Conference in Syria for the year 2026 kicked off at the Palace of Conventions in Damascus. The event is organized by the Ministry of Economy and Industry, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and in partnership with the Government of Japan. The conference holds exceptional significance as it is being held for the first time inside Syrian territory, following 7 previous rounds conducted abroad.
Here are the details of the most prominent discussions and activities of the first and second days:
Day One (June 1, 2026)
The opening activities of the conference focused on shaping the features of the new economic and legislative model for Syria:
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Official Opening and Welcoming Speeches: The Minister of Economy and Industry emphasized that Syria is moving toward building an economic model that combines realism, openness, and learning from successful development models globally, stressing the importance of establishing a modern legislative framework.
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International and Development Support: The Japanese Ambassador to Syria pointed out the importance of having a strong private sector to revive the economy and create job opportunities. Meanwhile, the Acting Resident Representative of the UNDP called for drafting a new social and economic contract linking the public and private sectors.
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Core Business Agenda: Sessions centered on identifying priorities for Syrian recovery, supporting local production, improving the investment climate, and attracting Syrian investors living abroad.
Day Two (June 2, 2026)
The second day witnessed panel discussions and direct sector-specific debates between the concerned ministers and representatives of various economic activities:
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Financial and Tax Reform: The Minister of Finance opened the sessions of the second day by reaffirming the government's efforts to provide facilities for investors and build strong bridges of trust that encourage capital to operate.{C}{C}
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Transport Sector Development{C}: The Minister of Transport reviewed the logistical challenges facing trade and industry, emphasizing the transport sector's urgent need to establish a regulatory authority and open broader horizons for partnership with investors to rehabilitate infrastructure.
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Agriculture and Food Security: Discussions, with the participation of the Minister of Agriculture and his deputies, focused on ways to support agricultural production and provide raw materials for local food industries to achieve self-sufficiency.
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Border Management and Foreign Trade: The Deputy Head of the Borders and Customs Commission and the Director General of the Exhibition and External Market General Establishment discussed mechanisms to facilitate the movement of goods and simplify customs procedures to increase Syrian exports.
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Empowering Businesswomen: The participation of the Businesswomen Committee of the Damascus Chamber of Industry and its Rural stood out, focusing on empowering small-scale women entrepreneurs and supporting their contribution to revitalizing local markets.
The conference aimed, through its various dialogue rounds and tracks, to involve more than 500 professionals, experts, and businessmen to formulate packages of directly actionable recommendations, backed by international partner institutions
2/6/2026
