Türkiye-Syria trade is experiencing a significant boost as Syria enters a reconstruction phase following a political shift since late last year, driving increased demand for goods from Türkiye, especially food, daily necessities and construction materials. At the same time, investors from other countries are also starting to eye the Syrian market, seeking to seize opportunities in the post-conflict recovery. However, Syria remains in a transitional period, with both business opportunities and risks coexisting. As trade ramps up, long lines of trucks can be seen just three kilometers away from the Turkish-Syrian border, where at least 1,000 vehicles are currently waiting to cross. Many drivers, like Mohammed, have spent several days in the queue, facing delays due to customs issues and incomplete documentation. Every day, approximately 350 to 400 trucks pass through the Cilvegozu Border Gate into Syria, delivering essential supplies. However, the ongoing transitional period in Syria poses challenges, including fluctuating policies and an uncertain security situation, which complicate customs efficiency. In Hatay province, a large import-export company focused on food and daily goods reports that 80 percent of its exports go to Syria. During the conflict, business was concentrated around Idlib, but operations are now expanding to major cities like Damascus, Aleppo and Homs. The surge in Turkish exports to Syria began in December following the political shift in Syria, with a 20 percent month-on-month increase followed by a further 38 percent rise in January, according to the Turkish Exporters Assembly. The fastest-growing sectors include food, electronics, cement, glass, ceramics, furniture and textiles. Recently, Türkiye and Syria have been working to lower tariffs and revive free trade agreements to stimulate commerce. However, analysts caution that the Syrian market remains fraught with uncertainty due to years of war that have led to an economic collapse, severe currency depreciation, and difficulties in trade settlements. For businesses, every investment feels like a gamble in a storm, with an uncertain future ahead. Shotlist: Hatay Province, Türkiye - Feb 27, 2025: 1. Aerial shots of trucks lining up to wait for passing through border gate; 2. Various of trucks, drivers waiting at border gate; 3. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Mohammed, Turkish driver (full name not given) (partially overlaid with shot 4/ending with shot 5): "I've been here for four days. The buffer zone at the border crossing is packed with trucks. Some can't clear customs due to tariff problems, while others lack the necessary paperwork."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBTIE] 4. Various of trucks, drivers waiting at border gate; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBTIE] 5. Various of trucks, drivers waiting at border gate; 6. Various of trucks passing border gate; 7. Trucks waiting at border gate; 8. Various of employees working at food company, products; 9. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Mohammed Baranak, head, Turkish food and consumer goods import-export company (partially overlaid with shot 10/ending with shot 11) "We anticipate that the market will grow tenfold because Aleppo is a trade hub in the region. In the global economic and trade landscape, logistics is a crucial factor. Given the fact that Hatay Province is very close to Syria, a tenfold growth in trade is only a conservative estimate. In the future, we plan not only to buy and sell goods but also to invest locally."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBTIE] 10. Various of employees working at food company, products; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBTIE] 11. Various of products at warehouse, products being transported; 12. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Hikmet Çinçin, president, Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (partially overlaid with shot 13/ending with shot 14): "Syria has suffered severe destruction from war, and future reconstruction will drive multiple industries, particularly offering the greatest opportunities for the infrastructure sector. This is especially significant to Türkiye, particularly to Hatay Province in the southern region. Our goal is to restore the trade routes that existed before 2010, which involve traversing Syria to access the Middle Eastern market."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBTIE] Damascus, Syria - Feb 23, 2025 13. Various of damaged buildings; rubble; displaced people on road; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBTIE] Hatay Province, Türkiye - Feb 27, 2025 14. Various of trucks passing border gate, soldiers on duty. [Restriction - No Access Chinese Mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]