Emirati business magnate Khalaf al‑Habtoor said Tuesday he plans to invest in Syria’s recovery, proposing projects that include operating as many as 3,000 buses nationwide and opening large car showrooms as the country seeks to rebuild after nearly 14 years of war.
Al‑Habtoor, chairman of the Dubai‑based Al Habtoor Group, led an Emirati business delegation that visited Damascus and parts of Syria’s coastal region to survey potential investments. He told The Associated Press that the bus project, to be carried out in partnership with the Syrian state, could generate roughly 30,000 jobs, and that the car showrooms would provide additional employment for young Syrians.
"We want to invest in something that will serve people," al‑Habtoor said during a tour of potential sites, adding that he preferred initiatives he described as sustainable over one‑off construction projects. "We don’t want to just construct buildings. A building, you build it and then it’s done — we want to make a long‑term investment."
Gulf states have signaled renewed interest in Syria’s reconstruction since former President Bashar Assad was ousted last December in a lightning rebel offensive, and Emirati delegations are part of a broader move by regional investors to assess opportunities. In July, Syria and Saudi Arabia announced 47 investment agreements valued at more than $6 billion.
On the ground, recovery faces substantial obstacles. Electricity and water shortages persist in many areas, and roughly half the population is estimated to be food insecure. Rebuilding costs remain enormous: the United Nations estimated in 2017 that reconstruction would cost at least $250 billion, and some analysts now say the figure could be as high as $400 billion.
Al‑Habtoor’s comments come as business delegations from several Gulf countries have increased engagements in Syria, exploring infrastructure, energy, transport and real estate projects. He said his focus was on ventures that would create long‑term jobs and services rather than short‑term construction gains.
Details about financing, timelines and formal agreements for al‑Habtoor’s proposed projects were not disclosed. His visit was part inspection and part fact‑finding, and he described the plans as early‑stage proposals intended to gauge needs and feasibility.
Analysts and aid officials say reconstruction will require coordinated political progress, large capital inflows and deliberate planning to ensure projects meet humanitarian and development priorities as well as commercial returns. The scale of damage across urban and rural areas, continued infrastructure shortfalls and lingering security concerns complicate rapid implementation of large projects.
Al‑Habtoor’s portfolio in the region and his statement of intent signal private‑sector appetite to participate in Syria’s recovery, but the speed and scope of any reconstruction will depend on negotiations among Syrian authorities, regional governments, international actors and potential investors over contracts, legal protections and the sequencing of projects.
For now, the Emirati visit underscores a cautious re‑engagement by some Gulf investors in Syria’s post‑conflict economy, even as basic services and humanitarian needs remain acute across the country.