How Damascus taking flight marks a significant new beginning
The return of commercial flights to Damascus signals optimism—but rebuilding Syria will be no easy feat.
After 13 years of civil war, Damascus International Airport is welcoming commercial flights again. Major carriers like Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines have resumed operations, signaling a tentative shift for Syria, where the devastation of war still looms large. But does this mark the start of true recovery or simply another chapter in the country’s complex story?
Monocle’s Istanbul correspondent, Hannah Lucinda Smith joins The Globalist to weigh in on the significance of this development, the challenges ahead, and what it could mean for Syrians both at home and abroad.
A commercially and politically significant move
When asked how significant the return of Qatar and Turkish Airlines to Damascus is, Smith notes that it is both commercially important and symbolic. "Turkey and Qatar are the two countries which consistently backed the Syrian opposition and particularly the parts of the Syrian opposition, which in the end, unseated Bashar al-Assad on December the 8th," she explains. "Now, of course, are the two countries which have the strongest political influence, and are the two countries which are poised now to really take some of the commercial benefits from the rebuilding of the country as well.".
Who’s flying into Syria? Refugees, businesspeople, and construction opportunities
Smith discusses the passengers flying into Damascus, suggesting that while some flights are aimed at Syrian refugees returning home, there is also a commercial side to this reopening. "Turkey is the biggest host of Syrian refugees in the world. There’s about 3.6 million Syrians here in Turkey," Smith explains. "Now in Qatar, not such a big refugee population at all, but certainly in terms of commercial interests, we’re going to see, I think, a lot of Qatari constructors, business people coming into Syria to help with that reconstruction."
In addition to returning Syrians, both Turkish and Qatari business interests are already eyeing Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction. "Already we're seeing Turkish construction companies signing up to go to construction fairs that are being organised in Damascus for the spring," Smith says. She points to a marked economic optimism in Turkey as well, where construction companies saw their share prices soar after the fall of Assad in December. "When Bashar al-Assad fled the country on December the 8th, one of the really interesting things that happened here in Turkey was that a lot of construction companies, their share price soared on the Istanbul Stock Exchange," she adds.
A nation in ruins: rebuilding Syria’s future
Despite the optimistic signs, Smith stresses that Syria has a long road ahead before it is fully open for business. "We're talking about a country which has been completely torn apart," she says. Describing the devastation in cities like Aleppo, where years of fighting left large areas in ruins, Smith highlights that the reconstruction efforts have been uneven. "The reconstruction in Aleppo that happened after 2016 when Assad's forces regained control, that was focused on the kind of old city, the historic parts, the tourist attractions, but the neighbourhoods that the rebels had occupied for many years and were really badly destroyed, they were just kind of left as they were."
Foreign investment in Syria during the past 12-13 years largely came from countries like Iran, Russia, and China, with US sanctions limiting Western companies’ involvement. "What companies are waiting for now and also what the Syrian government is waiting for is what the US is going to do with those sanctions," Smith says. "Obviously, the new government in Syria wants those sanctions lifted as quickly as possible so that Western companies can come back, so that aid can come back, investment can come back."
However, many countries, particularly in the West, remain cautious. "Countries like the US and the UK are really watching this new government very, very carefully," she warns. "Clearly, the background of the group that took control of Damascus, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, they used to be al-Qaeda's affiliates in Syria." Smith points out that while the group has tried to distance itself from radical Islamism, there are still concerns among international observers.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. To listen to the full interview, stream or download The Globalist also available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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