Government Discusses Return of Meta Commercial Services to Syria
Syrian Minister of Communications and Technology, Abdulsalam Haykal, has held discussions with Fares Akkad, Meta’s Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa, regarding the necessary steps to restore commercial services for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in Syria. The talks focused on activating advertising tools and business services, as well as broader cooperation between the two sides.
During the meeting, Minister Haykal outlined the ministry’s program to develop Syria’s digital infrastructure. This includes the expansion of fiber-optic networks and improvements to internet quality. Haykal noted that the government is currently working to establish the required legislative and technical environment to support e-commerce and entrepreneurial projects. He emphasized the government’s commitment to providing digital tools that assist Syrians in developing their businesses and keeping pace with global sectoral developments.
Fares Akkad expressed appreciation for the ministry’s vision for developing the digital economy. He confirmed Meta’s readiness to examine how its platforms could contribute to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in Syria. Akkad highlighted that this initiative is important for helping Syrian products and services reach both local and global markets, while also enhancing communication with the Syrian diaspora and creating new employment and growth opportunities.
Furthermore, the two sides discussed potential opportunities within the “Silk Link” project, which is currently being studied by Meta to enhance data routing and transport paths through Syria. If implemented, the project is expected to increase the reliability of Meta’s services, reduce latency, and improve the overall user experience in the region.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two parties agreed to take practical steps to follow up on the discussed files. The objective is to overcome the technical and legal obstacles that have hindered access to global commercial platform services in the Syrian market, working to move past the effects of digital isolation that have persisted for approximately 15 years.
This meeting follows remarks made by Minister Haykal at the “SYNC’26” technology and entrepreneurship conference in Damascus. During the event, he reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to providing a suitable climate for attracting international and regional technology companies and preparing the infrastructure necessary for Syrian talent to contribute to the nation’s digital future.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
