Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat announced on Tuesday a series of new steps aimed at facilitating and accelerating trade with Syria, highlighting plans to transform the city of Aleppo into a major logistics center in the near future.

Speaking during the Turkish-Syrian Roundtable held in Ankara, Bolat was joined by Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade Nidal Al-Shaar and Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, president of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).

Bolat said Turkey is ready to begin negotiations toward a “Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement” with Syria, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Earlier, Ankara and Damascus signed a protocol to establish a joint economic and trade committee — a move seen as part of renewed efforts to revive bilateral cooperation after years of strained relations.