Damascus, Feb. 12 (Petra) -- Syrian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdul Salam Haykal invited Jordanian companies and investors to participate in building a modern digital system to serve both countries and the wider region.
Speaking during the Jordanian-Syrian Investment Forum in Damascus, organized by the Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) in cooperation with the Syrian International Business Association (SIBA), Haykal said Syria’s telecom and technology sector is "advancing rapidly" under a comprehensive reform vision.
Haykal said the the Jordanian-Syrain growing rapprochement and commitment represent a "strategic" opportunity for the two countries' business communities, noting the new phase in relations opens unprecedented prospects for economic and investment cooperation.
Haykal said Syria is entering a stage of "resetting its foundations," aimed to restore its commercial identity and capacity to build alliances and partnerships.
"Jordan, which is Syria’s closest neighbor and a country that hosted Syrians during the crisis years, as a natural partner in this phase," he pointed out.
He noted Syria’s telecom and IT sector is witnessing accelerated growth and combines infrastructure investment with digital services, making it attractive to major companies, investment funds and medium-sized firms seeking regional expansion.
Haykal highlighted similarities between the two countries, pointing to Jordan’s experience in building its IT sector based on national talent.
He said Syria is adopting a similar model, which enhances prospects for knowledge exchange and the development of a knowledge-based economy.
He said Syria chose Jordan as the first destination for its foreign visits, leading to strengthened cooperation with Jordan’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and the establishment of four to five joint Syrian-Jordanian companies that have already entered the market.
Haykal advised companies seeking to enter the Syrian market to partner with local firms to better understand market dynamics and increase their chances of success.
On infrastructure projects, he announced the launch of the "Silk Link" project to build Syria’s internet backbone., as the strategic project was awarded following a global tender involving 18 companies.
He said the investment will enhance connectivity and improve communication services across cities and regions.
He added that the project will enable large data capacities to pass through Syrian territory southward, creating additional opportunities for Jordanian networks and enhancing regional integration in telecommunications. He noted plans to establish a joint Syrian-Jordanian data transit hub.
Haykal also announced a major fiber-optic infrastructure project inside Syrian cities with investments nearing $2 billion, alongside opportunities in the internet service provider sector.
He said there is a trend toward unifying certain operational infrastructures of telecom companies to improve efficiency and create new investment opportunities.
Overall, he said Syria needs around 5,000 additional telecom towers to enhance service quality, representing a significant opportunity for investors, in addition to wide prospects in digital transformation, technical services, training and capacity building.
//Petra// NQ
