Damascus, Feb.1 (SANA) The Board of Directors of the Damascus Chamber of Industry discussed with the Italian ambassador in Damascus Stefano Ravagnan ways to advance economic and industrial relations between the two countries, enhance trade exchange, and facilitate the work of Syrian and Italian business sectors.
During the meeting, held on Sunday at the Chamber’s headquarters in Damascus, both sides emphasized the importance of coordination to establish a Syrian–Italian Business Council and activate its role in the coming period. They also reviewed trade exchange channels, the organization of direct meetings between industrial companies in both countries, Syrian participation in exhibitions held in Italy, and the provision of necessary facilities for Syrian businesspeople.
The two sides further underscored the importance of supporting Syria’s textile sector through the “Fabric of Hope” project, which contributes to empowering industrialists to develop their businesses and provides specialized training courses in Italy. This, in turn, positively reflects the quality of Syrian products and aligns them with European market standards.
Head of the Damascus Chamber of Industry, Mohammad al-Mawlawi, noted that Syrian exports to Italy had exceeded one billion US dollars annually prior to 2011, but declined to around 15 million dollars last year. He stressed the need for joint efforts to restore economic relations to their previous levels by organizing near-term meetings between businesspeople and industrialists to expand cooperation horizons.
For his part, the Italian ambassador voiced his country’s readiness to provide full support to Syria and strengthen bridges of economic and industrial cooperation. He pledged to convey the proposals raised during the meeting to the relevant authorities in Italy for study and to work toward achieving tangible progress.
A/Dh
