2026-05-09T11:19:54+00:00

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Shafaq News- Damascus/ Baghdad

Syrian exporters are facing growing pressure in Iraq’s
market, with trade volumes still far below the $2.3 billion in Syrian exports
recorded before the 2011 war, as cheaper foreign products continue to expand
their presence in the country.

Mohammad Orfali, head of the Investment and Real Estate
Development Committee at the Damascus Chamber of Commerce, told Shafaq News on
Friday that the decline in exports to Iraq to rising production, shipping, and
energy costs inside Syria.

“The Iraqi market remains one of the most important
destinations for Syrian products,” he remarked, noting that Syrian goods
once accounted for a much larger share of Iraqi imports, particularly in food
products, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.

Although the reopening of border crossings between Syria and
Iraq has helped revive part of the trade flow, Orfali called for broader
economic cooperation and stronger coordination between Damascus and Baghdad
through trade delegations, as well as the chambers of commerce, industry, and agriculture.

“The improvement of logistics infrastructure, easing
financial transfers, and streamlining customs procedures could further increase
trade exchange between the two countries,” he continued, maintaining that
Syrian products still enjoy the trust and preference of Iraqi consumers.

To strengthen the competitiveness of Syrian exports, Orfali
urged Damascus to remove customs duties on raw materials used in manufacturing,
a step he believes could reduce production costs and reinforce the position of Syrian
goods in foreign markets, particularly Iraq.

He concluded that Baghdad remains among the most promising
destinations for Syrian exports because of its proximity, lower transportation
costs compared with distant markets, similar consumer tastes, and the
longstanding economic and social ties between the Syrian and Iraqi peoples.

According to Iraq’s Ministry of Finance, trade between Iraq
and Syria reached about $5 billion before the 2011 conflict. It then fell
sharply during the war years to below $1 billion, as border closures, security
disruptions, and the contraction of Syrian industrial output weighed on
cross-border commerce. In recent years, however, trade has shown signs of
recovery, with estimates for 2024 and 2025 placing the value of bilateral
exchanges at around $2 billion.