Will the revival of Syria's Deir al-Zour airport meet expectations?

Last week, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa inaugurated Deir al-Zour International Airport in eastern Syria via video link on Wednesday evening, 5 August, following its rehabilitation and announced several projects that he described as the beginning of an integrated plan for the eastern region.

He said the reopening of the airport marked a transformation in the facility's role, making it a gateway connecting the province with its local and regional surroundings. He also announced the launch of a comprehensive development plan for eastern Syria.

The plan includes upgrading infrastructure, rehabilitating the healthcare sector, completing road and bridge projects, and establishing an industrial city, contributing to the creation of new jobs and strengthening economic development.

The reopening of Deir al-Zour International Airport comes months after growing demands from residents of the province to end marginalisation and improve services.

Security incidents and protests in recent months brought Deir al-Zour back to the forefront of political and public service debate.

The announced projects include the establishment of a major industrial city incorporating food and petrochemical industries to provide employment opportunities and strengthen local production.

They also include the construction of a specialised cancer treatment hospital at an estimated cost of $21 million, the launch of the international road project linking Damascus and Deir al-Zour at a cost of between $275 million and $300 million, the rehabilitation of roads connecting Deir al-Zour with Abu Kamal and Raqqa, and rebuilding destroyed bridges, notably the Al-Siyasiya and Al-Mayadeen bridges.

Omar al-Husari, head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, also announced the establishment of an advanced air cargo centre at Deir al-Zour Airport to support agricultural, industrial and commercial activity and connect the province with domestic and foreign markets.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Syria's recovery would not be complete without the recovery of its east, adding that the time had come to "turn the page on marginalisation" the province endured for decades.

Deir al-Zour is one of Syria's richest provinces in natural resources, containing most of the country's oil and gas fields, as well as vast agricultural land dependent on the Euphrates River.

However, according to residents of the province, it has remained among the regions that have benefited least from its resources, before and after 2011 uprising began.

The province suffered widespread destruction as a result of battles against the Islamic State (ISIS), followed by subsequent military operations by multiple partie.

Large parts of the city's infrastructure, including roads, bridges, hospitals, and water and electricity networks, has been destroyed.

Hundreds of thousands of residents were displaced, while large areas continue to suffer from shortages of basic services and high unemployment.

Flooding of the Euphrates River several weeks ago further increased the hardship facing residents, causing significant economic losses amid severe difficulties travelling between different parts of the province because most of its bridges had been destroyed.

The government announcements come after the province witnessed protests and tribal and popular mobilisation for months, all calling for improved public services, employment opportunities, the reopening of Deir al-Zour airport, the rehabilitation of the road network, and the establishment of productive projects capable of employing thousands of unemployed young people.

Furthermore, major security incidents, accompanied by tensions and clashes, also renewed attention on the fragility of the economic and social situation.

Mohammad al-Hassan, a resident of the province, told The New Arab that the community had grown tired of repeated promises and were demanding fundamental changes.

He highlighted the need to improve service sectors such as rehabilitating hospitals, healthcare centres, bridges and roads, improving sanitation, clearing rubble, and providing employment opportunities for young people to prevent them from migrating to other provinces.

He added that implementing these projects, if carried out according to the announced timetable, could have a positive impact on the local situation.

However, al-Hassan stressed that "the real challenge lies not in announcing projects but in securing funding and ensuring implementation, especially since major infrastructure projects require substantial investment and security and administrative stability."

Khaled al-Jassem, from Deir al-Zour, told TNA that residents have a degree of optimism but were waiting for practical steps.

"The province has heard many promises over the past years, while services have remained modest, and electricity, water, healthcare and roads continue to be among the residents' main hardships," he added.

Al-Jassem said operating the airport had long been a demand of residents because it would ease the burden of travel and connect Deir al-Zour with the rest of Syria and abroad.

However, he believes that improving basic services and creating jobs remain the population's top priorities.

Many residents of Deir al-Zour say the announced projects constitute the largest development package by the Syrian government for the province in years.

It success remains contingent on the state's ability to secure funding and complete major infrastructure projects within the announced timeframes for a province that faces significant challenges after many years of war and marginalisation.

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.