بصفر ديون، وصفر عقوبات، وصفر قيود تجارية، تبدأ سوريا مشوارها لتكون أحد نمور غرب آسيا بجانب السعودية وقطر والإمارات وقريباً الكويت التي بدأت أولى خطوات النهضة، بإصلاح البيت الداخلي، وسنراها قريباً تنافس بقوة بجانب شقيقاتها الخليجيات.
ولعل سوريا الجديدة ستكون الدولة الوحيدة من خارج المنظومة الخليجية القادرة على الانضمام للدول الناهضة اقتصادياً وتجارياً، في هذا الإقليم المليء بالدول الفاشلة والمتراجعة.
ليس لأن الدول الخليجية تريد أن تجامل سوريا الجديدة، ولا لأنها ستمدها بمساعدات مالية تستخدمها كمسكنات، بل لأن سوريا مؤهلة بالفعل أن تنجح، فلديها الرغبة والإمكانات والتاريخ التجاري والصناعي، والإنسان السوري الذي يضع بصمته حيثما حل، ويرفع من قيمة المكان الذي يعمل فيه، وهو ما حصل في دول المهجر التي وصل إليها مضطراً قبل عقدين من الآن، بل وحتى إبان هجراته القديمة قبل نحو 150 عاماً إلى أمريكا الجنوبية.
ولعلنا نتذكر أولاً كيف نشأت «نمور آسيا»، بالكثير من العمل وفتح الاستثمارات أمام الأموال القادمة من الخارج، وضمان حرية التجارة، وهو مسمى أطلق على مجموعة من الدول الآسيوية التي شهدت نمواً اقتصادياً سريعاً في النصف الثاني من القرن العشرين، وهي «كوريا الجنوبية، وتايوان، وهونج كونج، وسنغافورة».
سوريا تشبه تلك الدول كثيراً، فهي تمتلك الكثير من المقومات التي يمكن أن تساعدها في تحقيق نمو اقتصادي لافت، ولكن في المقابل هناك أيضاً تحديات كبيرة، عليها تجاوزها، والأهم عدم الانجرار للأفكار الاقتصادية البالية التي وقعت فيها بعض الدول، من الطمع في المستثمرين، وحرمانهم من إخراج أموالهم، وتحويل الاستثمار إلى فخ بدلاً من جائزة يستفيد منها الطرفان، وهو ما دفع المستثمرين والأموال الساخنة إلى الهرب والانتقال إلى محاضن استثمارية آمنة.
سوريا تمتلك موارد طبيعية غنية، مثل النفط والغاز الطبيعي، وهناك مؤشرات على أن شواطئها على البحر الأبيض المتوسط تملك مخزوناً هاماً من الغاز، كذلك موقع سوريا الجغرافي الإستراتيجي سيمكّنها من أن تكون مركزاً للتجارة والاستثمار في المنطقة، ومنطقة لوجستية مهمة بين العالم العربي وأوروبا، كذلك لدى السوريين تاريخ اقتصادي غني بدأ منذ رحلة (الإيلاف) القرشية، مما يمكّنها من الاستفادة من الخبرة والمهارات المتراكمة طوال أكثر من 1500 عام.
بالطبع لدى سوريا الكثير من التحديات أمام تحقيق نمو اقتصادي، خاصة ترسيخ الاستقرار السياسي والأمن في جميع أنحاء البلاد، وإعادة إعمار البنية التحتية وتطويرها، فقد أبقى النظام السابق سوريا معزولة عن العالم، ما حرمها من البنية التحتية التقليدية، وكذلك من التكنولوجيا الرقمية والتقنيات الحديثة.
بلا شك أن سوريا هي الدولة العربية من خارج دول الخليج الأكثر تأهيلاً لكي تستقطب الاستثمارات والأموال الخليجية والأجنبية، وهي الأقدر على تعظيم عوائد الاستثمار، ولعل أهم نصيحة يمكن أن توجه للسوريين اليوم هي حرية انتقال الأموال من وإلى سوريا، والسماح بإخراج عوائد الاستثمار، والاستفادة من أخطاء دول لا تزال تحتجز أموال المستثمرين، وهو ما حرمها وسيحرمها من إعادة تجارب الاستثمار المريرة فيها.
إن بلداً مثل سوريا تمتلك شواطئ نادرة وجبالاً خلابة -ستكون ريفيرا العرب- على البحر الأبيض المتوسط إذا وظفت كما إيطاليا وفرنسا، ولديها عقول سورية خلاقة ومبدعة ومتعلمة تفخر بتراثها العربي العريق الذي لا تريد الانفصال عنه، وأيدٍ عاملة دؤوبة ونشيطة تحترم النظام وتلتزم به، وأرض الصناعة العربية، ومركز كبير للنشاط التجاري واللوجستي، ومقصد سياحي رئيسي، ومركز عقاري كبير، ستكون بلا شك نمر غرب آسيا القادم.
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
With zero debts, zero penalties, and zero trade restrictions, Syria begins its journey to become one of the tigers of West Asia alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, and soon Kuwait, which has taken its first steps towards revival by reforming its internal affairs. We will soon see it competing strongly alongside its Gulf sisters.
Perhaps the new Syria will be the only country outside the Gulf system capable of joining the economically and commercially rising nations in this region filled with failed and regressing states.
This is not because the Gulf countries want to flatter the new Syria, nor because they will provide it with financial aid that serves merely as painkillers, but because Syria is indeed qualified to succeed. It has the desire, the capabilities, the commercial and industrial history, and the Syrian people who leave their mark wherever they go, enhancing the value of the places they work in. This was evident in the countries of exile they reached out of necessity two decades ago, and even during their earlier migrations about 150 years ago to South America.
Let us first remember how the "Asian Tigers" emerged, through much work and opening investments to foreign funds, and ensuring freedom of trade. This term was applied to a group of Asian countries that witnessed rapid economic growth in the second half of the twentieth century, namely South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Syria resembles those countries greatly; it possesses many elements that can help it achieve remarkable economic growth. However, there are also significant challenges that it must overcome, and most importantly, it should avoid falling into the outdated economic ideas that some countries have succumbed to, such as greed towards investors, depriving them of withdrawing their funds, and turning investment into a trap instead of a prize that benefits both parties. This has driven investors and hot money to flee to safer investment havens.
Syria has rich natural resources, such as oil and natural gas, and there are indications that its Mediterranean shores hold significant gas reserves. Additionally, Syria's strategic geographical location will enable it to become a center for trade and investment in the region, as well as an important logistics area between the Arab world and Europe. The Syrians also have a rich economic history that dates back to the journey of the Quraysh (the trade caravan), allowing them to benefit from the accumulated experience and skills over more than 1500 years.
Of course, Syria faces many challenges in achieving economic growth, especially in establishing political stability and security throughout the country, and in rebuilding and developing infrastructure. The previous regime kept Syria isolated from the world, depriving it of traditional infrastructure, as well as digital technology and modern techniques.
Undoubtedly, Syria is the Arab country outside the Gulf that is most qualified to attract Gulf and foreign investments, and it is the most capable of maximizing investment returns. Perhaps the most important advice that can be given to Syrians today is to ensure the freedom of money movement to and from Syria, allowing the repatriation of investment returns, and learning from the mistakes of countries that still hold investors' funds, which has deprived them and will continue to deprive them of re-experiencing bitter investment experiences.
A country like Syria, with its rare beaches and stunning mountains—will be the Riviera of the Arabs—on the Mediterranean Sea if managed like Italy and France, and it has creative, innovative, and educated Syrian minds that take pride in their rich Arab heritage that they do not wish to separate from. With diligent and active labor that respects and adheres to the system, and being the land of Arab industry, a major center for commercial and logistical activity, a primary tourist destination, and a significant real estate hub, it will undoubtedly be the next tiger of West Asia.
Perhaps the new Syria will be the only country outside the Gulf system capable of joining the economically and commercially rising nations in this region filled with failed and regressing states.
This is not because the Gulf countries want to flatter the new Syria, nor because they will provide it with financial aid that serves merely as painkillers, but because Syria is indeed qualified to succeed. It has the desire, the capabilities, the commercial and industrial history, and the Syrian people who leave their mark wherever they go, enhancing the value of the places they work in. This was evident in the countries of exile they reached out of necessity two decades ago, and even during their earlier migrations about 150 years ago to South America.
Let us first remember how the "Asian Tigers" emerged, through much work and opening investments to foreign funds, and ensuring freedom of trade. This term was applied to a group of Asian countries that witnessed rapid economic growth in the second half of the twentieth century, namely South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Syria resembles those countries greatly; it possesses many elements that can help it achieve remarkable economic growth. However, there are also significant challenges that it must overcome, and most importantly, it should avoid falling into the outdated economic ideas that some countries have succumbed to, such as greed towards investors, depriving them of withdrawing their funds, and turning investment into a trap instead of a prize that benefits both parties. This has driven investors and hot money to flee to safer investment havens.
Syria has rich natural resources, such as oil and natural gas, and there are indications that its Mediterranean shores hold significant gas reserves. Additionally, Syria's strategic geographical location will enable it to become a center for trade and investment in the region, as well as an important logistics area between the Arab world and Europe. The Syrians also have a rich economic history that dates back to the journey of the Quraysh (the trade caravan), allowing them to benefit from the accumulated experience and skills over more than 1500 years.
Of course, Syria faces many challenges in achieving economic growth, especially in establishing political stability and security throughout the country, and in rebuilding and developing infrastructure. The previous regime kept Syria isolated from the world, depriving it of traditional infrastructure, as well as digital technology and modern techniques.
Undoubtedly, Syria is the Arab country outside the Gulf that is most qualified to attract Gulf and foreign investments, and it is the most capable of maximizing investment returns. Perhaps the most important advice that can be given to Syrians today is to ensure the freedom of money movement to and from Syria, allowing the repatriation of investment returns, and learning from the mistakes of countries that still hold investors' funds, which has deprived them and will continue to deprive them of re-experiencing bitter investment experiences.
A country like Syria, with its rare beaches and stunning mountains—will be the Riviera of the Arabs—on the Mediterranean Sea if managed like Italy and France, and it has creative, innovative, and educated Syrian minds that take pride in their rich Arab heritage that they do not wish to separate from. With diligent and active labor that respects and adheres to the system, and being the land of Arab industry, a major center for commercial and logistical activity, a primary tourist destination, and a significant real estate hub, it will undoubtedly be the next tiger of West Asia.


