Rebuild Syria expo attended by almost 400 companies from 31 Arab, foreign states

The Rebuild Syria Expo, an exhibition to campaign and network for the reconstruction of the war-torn country, has begun with 390 companies from 31 states taking part.

Having started yesterday and ending on Saturday, the expo is being held in the capital Damascus with representatives from a range of sectors such as energy, health, agriculture, education, telecommunication, real estate, transportation, security, water technology and information technology in attendance in an effort to help the country get back on its feet after an eight-year civil war that has ravaged much of its territory and displaced its population.

In a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the Assistant Minister of Public Works and Housing Mohammad Saif Eddin said the expo is a chance for the Syrian regime to become acquainted with a myriad of companies offering modern building technologies as a significant part of the reconstruction process. He also stated that the large participation of foreign companies in the rebuilding campaign is proof of Syria’s return to economic recovery and normal life.

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Representatives from Iran, China and Italy are amongst those exhibiting, along with companies from Lebanon, Iraq, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), raising the issue the potential re-normalisation of ties with the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad in spite of its war crimes and human rights violations throughout the conflict.

Signs of this recognition of Assad’s legitimacy have been seen after the rapid recapture of territory by the regime and its cementing of power throughout the past two years with the help of Russia and Iran, particularly through the consideration by the Arab League of readmitting the country back into its fold.

Both the UAE and Oman have already began to re-establish ties with Syria, with the Emirates reopening its embassy in Damascus in 2018 and appointed a charge d’affaires. Oman’s foreign minister visited Al-Assad in July.