With Italian Support… Syria Moves Toward Local Manufacturing of Trains and Buses and Development of Electric Transportation

Syrian Minister of Transport, Ya‘rub Badr, discussed prospects for industrial cooperation to develop the transportation sector in Syria with Talal Al-Hilali, Chairman of the Investment Authority, and representatives of the Italian engineering company “Blu.” The cooperation aims to include the local manufacturing of trains, buses, and electric vehicles.

During the meeting held in Damascus, Minister Badr emphasized the necessity of establishing an integrated industrial system within Syria to manufacture modern transportation means, aiming to reduce transportation burdens and improve public transit services. He highlighted the importance of relying on local capabilities and enhancing the infrastructure for both urban and rural transportation.

Meanwhile, the company’s Chairman, Muhammad Eid, presented the cooperation strategy with the Syrian side, which includes establishing specialized factories for manufacturing trains, buses, and electric cars, in addition to qualifying national cadres in design and manufacturing by leveraging Italian expertise in public transportation and railways.

The presentation also addressed the development of the freight transport sector, establishing maintenance and upgrade centers for locomotives, including rehabilitating the main maintenance center in Homs, as well as preparing technical studies to improve the efficiency of currently operating locomotives.

For his part, Talal Al-Hilali, Chairman of the Investment Authority, affirmed that the local manufacturing project for transportation means constitutes a fundamental pillar for supporting the national economy. He pointed out that strengthening Syria’s capabilities in locomotives and electric transportation will facilitate the movement of goods, especially phosphates, and support development in productive sectors.