Syria: we are making progress in economic development
Syria, Economics, 2/11/2005

A senior Syrian economic official announced in Damascus recently the Syrian economy has posed as "turning point" in 2004 due to an increase in the General Domestic Production which had a growth rate of 3.2 %.

"The Syrian economic process has witnessed a positive and tangible development reflecting Syria's capability to mount activation, movement and to increase non oil exports," Chairman of the State Planning Commission Abdullah al-Dardari said.

Opening the first forum of dialogue for coordination with donor countries, Dardari noted the initialing of the Syria-EU partnership agreement and the free trade zone with Turkey as well as the lowering of the foreign debt as new positive factors in this respect.

Director of the Human Development Management at the Commission Maher al-Rez said Syria has made good achievements regarding human development. "Syria is close to fulfill aims of the millennium where the tenth five-year plan is aimed at lowering population growth level to make it reach at 2.16 at the end of the plan and to decrease poverty average by 10 %," he said.

"The Syrian economy has seen a drop in inflation and owns a large currency reserve," a third Syrian planning official noted.

Director of Total Planning Management Rabi Nasr said the most important aims of the tenth five-year plan of development is to achieve level of sustainable growth and create job opportunities as well increase the total productivity.

"Among the five-year plan targets are those encouraging competition, rationing administration and the participation of all sectors in the development plan," Nasr said.

The forum which was opened on Wednesday, has been organized by the State Planning Commission and the United Nations Development Program in Damascus and aimed to outline mechanism of offering aids with donors.

Participants underlined significance of the project to coordinate aid so as to boost the Syrian government efforts to cement ties with donors and international financing institutions in addition to generate a bigger pouring of foreign sources and the maximize use of financing sources.

Representatives from International, Arab, European and Asian donor organizations stressed their support to the development process in Syria in accordance with its priorities and the importance of putting a coordination mechanism between the donors and Syrian ministries via State Planning Commission.

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