Syria rebuilds: The projects in spotlight

For the first time in over a decade, Syria’s economy is breathing again. After years of sanctions and isolation, 2025 has brought an unmistakable shift: the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom have all lifted or suspended key restrictions on trade, banking, and infrastructure development.

Billions in new investments are now pouring in, with $14 billion in deals signed for airport expansions, housing projects, and transport corridors. At the same time, U.S. firms like Baker Hughes and Hunt Energy have started work on a national energy masterplan to rebuild Syria’s crippled grid and fuel network.

It’s the clearest signal yet that Syria’s reconstruction has shifted from theory to execution.

Counting the costs: Scale of the rebuild

According to the UNDP and World Bank, Syria’s total economic losses now exceed $900 billion, with physical damage alone reaching over $118 billion.

Housing, transport, and power infrastructure together account for nearly 80 percent of the destruction. These are the foundations that must be rebuilt before the economy can restart, and every one of them requires heavy machinery on the ground.

Inside the country, reconstruction priorities are clear:

• Transport and logistics: roads, bridges, and airports.

• Energy and utilities: power plants, pipelines, solar installations.

• Housing and public services: urban housing, schools, hospitals.

Each of these pillars demands fleets of excavators, loaders, dozers, compactors, and generators; the first-responders of national recovery.

Where reconstruction begins

The early contracts show a distinct focus on connectivity and energy:

• Ports: DP World’s $800 million expansion of Tartus Port and the new $230 million Latakia upgrade by CMA-CGM are redefining Syria’s logistics map. Both projects require dredgers, ship-to-shore cranes, straddle carriers, and heavy earth-moving equipment.

• Energy: U.S. and local consortiums are deploying turbines, generators, and drilling rigs to restore power capacity from 1.6 GW back toward the pre-war 9.5 GW mark.

• Housing and infrastructure: UNDP’s $1.3 billion three-year program targets 20,000 housing units and dozens of public facilities; a wave that will pull strong demand for concrete batching plants and tower cranes.

Earlier lessons-learned

Syria isn’t the first country to rebuild from the ground up, and lessons from similar efforts are clear.

In Iraq (2005–2010), major infrastructure projects stalled not because of funding, but because of inconsistent supply chains: spare parts and skilled operators were harder to source than money. Contractors that secured reliable equipment partners delivered twice as fast.

In Beirut’s 2020 recovery, time was everything. Local builders relied heavily on modular construction and prefabrication, but those methods only worked because machinery supply was stable and verified.

For Syria, the same rule applies: reconstruction will move at the speed of its equipment supply.

Makana: Where does machinery stand?

Operating from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) in Dubai, makana.com is strategically positioned to support this regional surge. From this hub, we connect verified sellers and buyers across the Middle East, North Africa, and Levant, delivering ready-to-ship machines inspected, certified, and transparently documented.

Our marketplace makes it possible for Syrian contractors, NGOs, and developers to source critical equipment directly from the Gulf, without the friction of intermediaries or unverifiable listings.

Through our 75-point inspections, 360° machine views, and virtual yard tours, Makana ensures every piece of equipment: from 3-ton mini excavators to 40-ton dump trucks, is represented with full data integrity.

Platforms like makana.com aren’t just part of the supply chain, they’re infrastructure enablers in their own right, bridging the gap between need and availability.

Rebuilding Syria isn’t about starting from scratch. It’s about doing it better, with ready to work heavy machinery, transparent supply, and partnerships that can deliver at scale.