The Future of Turkey-Syria Foreign Trade: Evaluating Opportunities and Threats within the Framework of SWOT Analysis

Foreign trade relations between Türkiye and Syria have gained new momentum, especially with the political changes in Syria after 2024. The trade volume between the two countries increased significantly in 2025, and this trend continued in the first half of 2026. The reactivation of border crossings and the revitalization of transit trade corridors are the main factors supporting the development of trade relations. The reintegration of the banking system with the international financial structure also contributes to this process. In this study, the future of Turkey-Syria foreign trade is discussed with the SWOT analysis method. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are systematically evaluated. Geographical proximity, historical and cultural ties, and the existing border crossing infrastructure offer important opportunities. Turkey also has the potential to be a transit route for Syria to access Europe. On the other hand, uncertainties in customs tariffs and the non-reinstatement of the Free Trade Agreement pose a threat. Security and infrastructure problems and regional instability risks also limit the development of trade. The results of the analysis show that institutional cooperation should be strengthened in order to benefit from commercial potential sustainably. It is also important to harmonize customs legislation and increase logistics infrastructure investments. The study aims to contribute to the literature by providing recommendations to policymakers and private sector representatives.