Al-Shar' at the inauguration of Deir ez-Zor International Airport: An integrated development plan for the Eastern Region

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa participated via video link in the opening ceremony of Deir ez-Zor International Airport on Wednesday evening, describing it as a transformation from a site once used to bomb cities and towns into a gateway connecting the province with its domestic and international surroundings. He announced the implementation of a comprehensive development plan for the Eastern Region, which includes rehabilitating infrastructure, the health sector, roads, and bridges, as well as establishing an industrial city, thereby contributing to job creation and enhancing development.

In his speech, President al-Sharaa said, “The people of Deir ez-Zor are our esteemed people. Praise be to God that Deir ez-Zor Airport has today transformed from a place from which bombs were carried to be dropped on homes, farms, and lands, into a link connecting the interior with itself, and the outside world with the interior.” He congratulated the people of the province on the airport’s opening, affirming that they deserve more projects and services.

President al-Sharaa clarified that the government is working to implement a development plan for the Eastern Region, encompassing the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Al-Hasakah, and Ar-Raqqa, within a broader plan covering all of Syria. He emphasized the unique character of this region due to its abundant contributions, which necessitated adopting a gradual approach to its development.

He outlined that the plan includes rehabilitating infrastructure and the health sector, as well as constructing a specialized hospital for treating cancer, with an estimated cost of around $21 million. He noted the imminent start of the Damascus-Deir ez-Zor international highway project, with separate carriageways for outbound and inbound traffic, following the completion of studies and the final stage of receiving bids from companies. He explained that its estimated cost ranges between $275 million and $300 million, and it will be implemented according to international standards befitting Deir ez-Zor province.

Al-Sharaa pointed out that the plan also includes rehabilitating the road connecting Al-Bukamal and Ar-Raqqa, and the Al-Jazira road extending from Al-Bukamal to Deir ez-Zor, in addition to repairing and rebuilding destroyed bridges, foremost among them the Siyasiya and Al-Miyadin bridges.

The President revealed a project to establish a large industrial city encompassing food and petrochemical industries, aimed at providing job opportunities for the province’s residents and enabling them to export their products directly to various parts of the world.