ISTANBUL

Under a new deal, a consortium of Turkish construction firms will be involved in a project to develop and expand the capacity of Damascus International Airport.

Turkish construction giants Kalyon Insaat and Cengiz Insaat, Qatari construction firm UCC, US-based Assets Investments, the Syrian Finance Ministry, and the Syrian Civil Aviation General Authority inked a deal to rehabilitate the existing airport facilities, construct new terminals, and more at Damascus International Airport.

The four-phase modernization program will boost the airport’s annual passenger capacity to over 31 million in a decade, with a total investment of around $4 billion.

The Turkish firms, Kalyon Insaat and Cengiz Insaat, have carried out large-scale projects in strategic sectors like energy, infrastructure, and transportation both in Türkiye and worldwide.

The current project involves a comprehensive modernization program to revive and revitalize the Syrian aviation business. The air hub is expected to host 6 million passengers by the end of 2026 with the completion of Terminals 1 and 2, while the commissioning of Terminal 3 will boost the capacity to 13 million.

After all phases of the program are completed, the airport’s total capacity will rise to 31 million. During its implementation, the project will create over 90,000 direct and indirect jobs, while positively impacting the region’s capacity for trade, tourism, and logistics.

The deal also involves $250 million in aircraft financing to renew the fleet and boost the air hub’s operational capacity on international routes.

From IGA Istanbul Airport to Damascus

Murathan Kalyoncu, the chair of Kalyon Insaat, said in a statement that the firm is now moving forward with investments outside of Türkiye after having completed significant projects at home.

“We are now moving forward to implement this project, which will significantly contribute to the Syrian economy, regional development, and stability,” he said.

Kalyon previously implemented a globally acclaimed project, the IGA Istanbul Airport, in record time, and now the firm is ready to put their expertise in service of Syria, he said.

Kalyoncu added that the investment will modernize and expand Damascus International Airport and contribute to the development of Syria’s services sector, diversify transport options, boost employment, revitalize tourism, and open the Syrian business world to the outside world.

Asim Cengiz, the deputy chair of Cengiz Insaat, said that the project is a key step in bringing Syria’s aviation infrastructure back to international standards.

“We will bring a safe, modern, and high-capacity airport with our expertise and global experience — this investment will revive the region’s trade and transportation network, while reflecting our determination to support the normalization of life in Syria and its long-term development goals,” he said.

“We aim to create a resilient, modern, and sustainable aviation infrastructure that can meet Syria’s future needs,” he added.