Egyptian officials expressed their hope for a wide participation in the reconstruction of Syria, stressing that dozens of engineering and contracting companies have already begun work there, with the expectation that Egyptian companies get a share of up to 25%, providing thousands of jobs in the Syrian market.
Over the past months, Egypt’s successful mediation between the two sides of the Syrian crisis to conclude a ceasefire agreement in dozens of towns in northern Homs has demonstrated a growing positive role for Cairo in efforts to put an end to the ongoing war.
Sources at the Egyptian Ministry of Commerce and Industry told Asharq al-Awsat that dozens of Egyptian companies and businessmen were going to Syria to discuss investment opportunities and participate in the reconstruction efforts, pointing out that the Syrian market became promising and predicted great job opportunities.
The sources explained that all the initiatives taking place so far were the endeavors of business organizations and chambers of commerce, stressing that the Egyptian government was waiting for the right time to issue an official invitation for companies to head to Syria, due to continued presence of security concerns.
Tarik al-Nabrawi, president of Egypt’s Engineers Syndicate, noted that his country would be present in Syria to make way for Egyptian engineers and construction companies to rebuild the country.
In remarks to the American Al-Monitor website, Nabrawi said: “The calls between the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate and the concerned Syrian parties aim at opening the job market for Egyptian consultancy offices and professional companies in Syria.”
Nabrawi added that he expected 2018 to witness a “boom and influential role for Egyptian construction companies in Syria and to open the door for other companies — in the electricity, building material, steel, aluminum, ceramics and sanitary material fields among others — to work in the Syrian market and participate in rebuilding cities and facilities that the war has destroyed.”
