DAMASCUS, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Syria has restarted hundreds of factories and brought thousands of workshops back into operation, said Syrian economy and industry authorities chief Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar on Friday.
Speaking in a special interview aired on Syria's Al-Ikhbariya TV, al-Shaar said the authority is working to accelerate economic recovery through a "guided free-market" model.
It is pursuing partnerships with foreign companies and planning to construct a new oil refinery in the central province of Homs, he said, adding that some oil wells could be brought back into operation within six to nine months.
Al-Shaar also warned that the economic recovery is "cumulative and does not appear immediately," noting that progress requires time amid limited resources, liquidity constraints and years of disrupted production.
Commenting on recent developments in northeastern Syria, Al-Shaar said the return of the Jazira region would pave the way for a new phase of reconstruction and economic revival. He also highlighted Raqqa province as having significant potential for agricultural and agro-industrial development.
The Syrian interim authority and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces agreed on Friday to end hostilities and begin integrating their military and administrative structures in northern Syria. ■
