Damascus, Sept. 2 (SANA) Adra Free Zone in Damascus countryside is regaining its position as a regional geo-economic hub for industrial and commercial exports, with around 400 investors currently operating there, its director Youssef Ayoub said Wednesday.
Ayoub told SANA in an interview on the sidelines of Damascus International Fair that the zone, considered as one of the leading free zones in the Middle East, is benefiting from its strategic location and renewed development efforts by the General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, represented by the General Establishment of Free Zones.
Strategic location and export links
Located north of Damascus, near Damascus International Airport and the M5 highway linking Damascus and Aleppo, the free zone provides investors with access to regional and international markets, Ayoub said.
Occupancy has now exceeded 80% as local, Arab and foreign investors establish or expand operations in the zone.
Ayoub said goods produced or traded through Adra are being exported to Gulf countries, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Jordan and Türkiye.
The zone also hosts specialized industries, including gold manufacturing and food production. New production lines are expected to begin manufacturing fiber-optic cables, an industry Ayoub described as unique in Syria.
Tax incentives and streamlined procedures
Ayoub added that Adra Free Zone offers investors competitive incentives compared with other free zones in the region, including tax exemptions, flexible regulations, streamlined customs procedures and a one-stop service system.
He said competitive fees had also helped attract investors, contributing to the zone’s occupancy rate of more than 80%.
Moving toward paperless operations
Infrastructure has also been upgraded, with the zone now receiving uninterrupted electricity and water services, Ayoub said.
Work is underway to extend a fiber-optic network to the zone, while plans by the General Authority for Land and Sea Ports and the General Establishment of Free Zones include further infrastructure development, expanded surveillance systems at entrances and exits, and the modernization of digital services,” he added.
The goal, Ayoub said, is to eliminate paper-based transactions and move toward a fully digital, “zero-paper” system.
Around 400 local, Arab and foreign investors
Adra Free Zone currently hosts around 400 investors, many operating in vehicle and spare-parts trading, customs clearance, engineering, commercial representation and other services.
Industrial activities account for about 15% of the zone’s occupancy and provide significant employment, Ayoub said, adding that attracting Arab, regional and international investment could contribute to job creation, economic recovery and Syria’s reconstruction.
Ayoub said investor interest had increased significantly following the lifting of sanctions on Syria and predicted that the zone could reach full occupancy by the end of the year.
MZN
