Minister of Transport: Reviving the transit of European and Gulf trucks is a strategic path
The Minister of Transport, Dr. Yarub Badr, stressed that road transport through Syrian territory is not just an emergency issue, but rather an old strategic path that the country seeks to restore.
In a statement to the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan, the minister expressed his optimism about the return of the transit momentum, which exceeded 300 trucks per day before 2011, including European trucks heading to the Arab Gulf countries.
Minister Badr explained that this activity has witnessed a contraction over the past years due to the closure of the borders, but the return of normal relations with neighboring countries currently opens the door to the gradual and sustainable revival of this sector.
Track independence from the Strait of Hormuz crisis
Badr stressed that the transport activity through Syria is completely independent of the current events in the Strait of Hormuz, pointing out that there are alternatives to transporting oil and Gulf goods to Europe.
He pointed out that road transport represents a complementary option to the movement of "time-sensitive", high-value and technological goods, due to the speed and effectiveness it provides, and the "door-to-door" transportation advantage that seaports lack.
The Minister of Transport revealed the features of regional cooperation between Syria, Turkey and Jordan, based on a 5-year roadmap. This cooperation aims to clarify the joint national tasks between the ministries of transport in the concerned countries and to present major projects in a unified manner to donors, in addition to preparing a map of the railway network linking Syria to Turkey and Jordan to Saudi Arabia , and working on restarting the Hejaz railway line for the transport of goods as a preliminary stage.
Development of the "North-South" Road
In a remarkable technical step, Minister Badr announced that the Ministry has completed for the first time a comprehensive assessment of the "North-South" road (from Bab Al-Hawa Crossing in the north to Nasib Crossing in the south), using modern technical techniques independent of the human element, to ensure the highest standards of maintenance and quality, thus contributing to attracting international transport traffic between Europe and the Gulf.
Regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the minister pointed out that the effects of this crisis go beyond the regional scope to reach the international level. He revealed that Syria is coordinating with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to organize a regional workshop that will examine the impact of the straits on supply chains and devise strategic solutions to face any future disruptions.