TİKA resumes operations in Syria, plans reconstruction projects

Serkan Kayalar, the President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), announced that TİKA has resumed its operations in Syria following the fall of the 61-year-old Ba'ath regime.

Kayalar stated that TİKA had implemented nearly 150 projects across various Syrian cities from 1995 to 2011, and that the TİKA Damascus Program Coordination Office, which started operations in March 2010, was forced to suspend activities in November 2011 due to the ongoing conflict.

Kayalar highlighted that despite the prolonged conflict, TİKA continued its support for the Syrian people, particularly in regions secured through operations in northern Syria, where numerous development and humanitarian aid projects were carried out.

These projects ranged from equipment supply and vocational training to establishing workshops, laboratories, healthcare initiatives, education, and capacity-building efforts.

Emphasizing that recent developments in Syria have changed the internal conditions of the country, Kayalar noted that with the conflict subsiding nationwide, a period of calm, stability, and reconstruction has begun.

He added that TİKA, with the directives of Türkiye's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, quickly mobilized and sent teams to the field to begin assessing what can be done. The reopening of the TİKA office in Damascus is planned for the near future.

Kayalar stated that TİKA aims to share its field experience from previous years across a broader area and has already begun work on concrete projects. He mentioned that the first project is the restoration and landscaping of the cemetery in the Ibn Arabi Mosque, as announced on social media.

Looking ahead, Kayalar said TİKA intends to increase and diversify its development cooperation projects, expanding them throughout Syria. He stressed the importance of projects that support employment, production, and income generation in Syria's reconstruction process.

Kayalar also pointed out that many cultural heritage sites, especially in Aleppo and Damascus, were damaged during the conflict, and TİKA plans to start identifying and planning their restoration as a priority.

He concluded by stating that TİKA would continue to do everything possible, within its means, to contribute to Syria's recovery and that future project updates would be shared through various communication channels.