President Ahmad al-Sharaa met businessman Muhammad Sharbati in Damascus to discuss developing Syria’s textile industry. Sharbati, a leading textile industrialist and former head of Aleppo’s Chamber of Industry, has founded major companies in Syria and abroad and recently launched a pharmaceutical firm in Aleppo.

Ali Kaddah, Assistant Secretary-General of the Presidency for Cabinet Affairs, said sanctions over the past 14 years had isolated Syria’s tech sector and widened the digital gap by limiting access to finance, technology and markets. He said the National Startup Agenda aims to strengthen state–private sector cooperation, support new companies and turn research into sustainable businesses.

He added that presidential directives support innovation as a pillar of economic growth and call for unified national efforts.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdulsalam Heikal said during the conference that the National Startup Agenda marks a key moment for Syrian entrepreneurship, viewing tech startups as a driver of economic recovery, job creation and productivity under a 2025–2030 strategy to build a cohesive ecosystem with regional and international growth potential.

He added that the agenda shifts support from scattered initiatives to a unified national framework to coordinate efforts and develop the startup sector over the next five years.

Higher Education Minister Marwan al-Halabi said during the conference that the National Startup Agenda marks a national milestone reflecting a shift toward a knowledge-based economy and empowering youth to turn ideas into productive projects.

He said it highlights that investment starts with human capital and requires an environment that supports innovation and links education and research to production and entrepreneurship.

SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi and AANES official Ilham Ahmed travelled to Damascus for talks with Syrian government officials, where they are expected to hold meetings in the capital.

Source: Ronahi TV

Syria and Jordan Deepen Strategic Partnership

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Spokesperson for the Presidential Team overseeing implementation of the agreement with the SDF Ahmed al-Hilali said a meeting is scheduled in Damascus today between Mazloum Abdi and Presidential Envoy Ziad al-Ayesh, alongside separate talks with the foreign minister and the president.

He said the meetings aim to follow up on the integration process, assess progress and outline next steps, marking a shift toward a national track and providing momentum to accelerate implementation in al-Hasakah Governorate.

Source: Syria TV

Syrian Minister of Higher Education Marwan al-Halabi discussed with Jean-Baptiste Faivre, chargé d'affaires at the French Embassy in Damascus, ways to strengthen academic and research cooperation and develop human resources and educational infrastructure.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa discussed with French Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Faivre ways to strengthen media cooperation and reviewed developments in the Syrian media landscape.

He said plans include establishing a government communications center, expanding local media powers, and countering disinformation, while France expressed readiness to support training and broader cooperation.

Assad-Era Expropriation Legacy Faces New Scrutiny

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The Afrin Area Government Administration in Syria’s Aleppo Governorate has received a new convoy of 800 families from al-Hasakah Governorate, returning to their villages and hometowns.