Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek has hailed the recent US decision to lift sanctions on Syria, calling it a “huge gain for humanity” and a vital step toward restoring peace and prosperity in the war-ravaged country.

Speaking to TRT World on the sidelines of the Qatar Economic Forum 2025 in Doha, Simsek emphasised the regional and global significance of a stable and unified Syria, asserting Türkiye’s readiness to assist in the country’s recovery and reintegration into the international economic system.

“Political unity, stability, peace and therefore prosperity in Syria is in the region’s interest, is in Türkiye’s interest — and actually, it's a global public good,” Simsek said, underlining Ankara’s long-standing support for Syria’s territorial integrity and political cohesion.

“When you have conflicts, when you have disorder, it’s bad for everyone, in particular for the neighbourhood.” He added that geopolitical instability in Syria had been “a big drag on Türkiye” over the years.

In this context, Simsek welcomed Washington’s recent move: “The United States made the right decision, because we need to support the stabilisation of Syria. We need to help Syria combat terror, but we need to help Syria achieve its political unity, its territorial integrity — and therefore, this leading to better prosperity for all.”

He further stated: “Türkiye is ready to help in any way possible. We've been very supportive and we continue to advocate Syrian territorial integrity, tolerance, respect for diversity — and of course, creating an ecosystem that will help Syria to prosper.”

As Syria’s future hangs in the balance, Simsek’s firm positioning of Türkiye as a regional stabiliser signals a broader strategic ambition — one that ties economic development with peacebuilding across the region.

“On its own, a stable and prosperous Syria would be a huge gain for humanity,” Simsek noted.

All praise for QEF 2025

Turning to the Qatar Economic Forum, held under the theme of “The Road to 2030: Transforming the Global Economy”, Simsek praised the event for providing a much-needed space for dialogue in turbulent times.

“The world economy is facing huge uncertainties, starting with trade fragmentation, but global economic policy uncertainty has been a major issue.” In that regard, he called the forum “one of the best venues to discuss both short-term and long-term structural headwinds, but also opportunities.”

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The Turkish finance chief acknowledged that while the forum highlighted existing challenges, it also encouraged collaborative solutions: “There was a fair bit of conversation on opportunities and working together to address some of these challenges.”

Simsek also highlighted Qatar’s “very strong soft power base” and “constructive role” in resolving regional conflicts. “The forum has been very productive in that sense,” he noted, praising the opportunity for extensive bilateral engagements with political leaders and business executives.

“Typically, you would have to travel a lot to meet so many people. But within two or three days, you end up covering a lot of ground, learning a lot,” he observed.

Türkiye-Qatar ties: Huge untapped potential

As Ankara looks to strengthen economic ties in the region, Simsek stressed that Türkiye and Qatar have significant untapped potential.

“Political relations are excellent, but we have not yet broadened and deepened economic and trade ties to reflect that. So I think there’s huge untapped opportunity here,” he said.

He also underlined shared ambitions to cooperate in third-country development projects: “I do see a significant upside, both in Qatar and in Türkiye, but also joining forces together in third countries.”

This vision, Simsek noted, aligns with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s broader connectivity agenda: “Under the leadership of President Erdogan, this new development project that will connect the Persian Gulf to Türkiye — and through that, the Middle Corridor, all the way to China and the United Kingdom — is key. Connectivity is important.”

Türkiye’s investment climate

Despite global headwinds, Türkiye continues to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and Simsek remains bullish on the country’s prospects.

“Over the past two decades, thanks to macroeconomic stabilisation and strong economic performance, Türkiye has attracted about $280 billion of FDI. That’s up from only $15 billion across the 1980s and 1990s.”

He argued that Türkiye’s fundamentals remain compelling for investors: “A domestic market of close to 90 million, a per capita GDP of over $15,000, great infrastructure, and huge quality talent — all of this makes Türkiye a compelling investment destination.”

Simsek acknowledged that inflation had hindered FDI inflows in recent years but expressed confidence in the current economic reform programme: “We’re now addressing it. With macroeconomic stabilisation and reforms, the case for increased FDI inflows will be compelling. But of course, we have to continue to improve and put our house in order.”