Iraq is an “attractive opportunity” for marketing Syrian products and expanding trade exchange.
Iraq is an “attractive opportunity” for marketing Syrian products and expanding trade exchange.
2026-05-22
Shafaq News – Damascus
The Iraqi market is considered one of the most important foreign markets neighboring Syria, due to its large economic size and strong geographical and social ties between the two countries.
With a shared desire to enhance economic and trade cooperation, Syria is preparing to capitalize on this opportunity to expand its exports, given the significant potential encompassing multiple sectors, from food products to household industries and logistics services.
In this regard, the senior advisor to the Syrian Ministry of Economy and Industry, Dr. Osama Al-Qadi, confirmed to Shafaq News Agency that “the Iraqi market represents an attractive opportunity that the Syrian factory cannot ignore,” noting that “the Iraqi economy is estimated at about $250 billion, and it shares with Syria a land border that extends for a distance of 605 kilometers.”
Iraq has major border crossings with Syria: Aradhiya Rabia, Al-Bukamal, and Al-Qaim, in addition to the Al-Jazira and Euphrates regions, which greatly facilitate the movement of goods. These crossings form a vital artery for trade and a large consumer market that needs various materials, including food, agricultural products, medicines, textiles, and household electrical products, in addition to the transport and logistics services available in both countries.
The judge added that “the competitive advantage of the Syrian product lies in its acceptable quality and its geographical proximity to Iraq, which contributes to reducing transportation costs and reinforces the Syrian manufacturers’ understanding of the nature and taste of the Iraqi consumer, which is very similar to the Syrian consumer.”
He pointed to the importance of “adhering to the standards and quality of the Syrian Standards and Metrology Organization to preserve the reputation of the Syrian product and enhance confidence in it in the Iraqi market,” noting “the need to improve financial means by facilitating payment and transfer operations between the two countries, and simplifying transit procedures for trucks and customs operations in coordination with the Iraqi government.”
The judge stressed “the importance of holding industrial exhibitions in major Iraqi cities such as Baghdad, Mosul and Erbil, to promote awareness of Syrian products and encourage joint investment.”
He explained that “this move comes in the context of the two parties’ desire to increase the volume of trade exchange, which witnessed a remarkable boom in 2010 and reached about $2.2 billion, but it has declined significantly in recent years to reach only about $62 million.”
He confirmed that there is a desire in Syria and Iraq to “double the volume of trade again during the next two years, with expectations of exceeding previous figures before the end of 2027, especially with the reopening of the crossings and the facilitation of joint procedures between the two countries.”
The judge concluded by saying that “the Iraqi market represents a strategic opportunity for the Syrian economy, as Damascus and Baghdad seek to enhance cooperation and trade partnership in a way that serves the interests of both countries and contributes to the development of national economies in the medium and long term.”
shafaq.com
