Russia Plans to Construct Vaccine Plant, Airport in Syria’s Tartus – Official

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - Russian companies plan to construct an airport in the Syrian coastal city of Tartus as well as a joint plant producing vaccine within a framework of agreements signed during the latest session of the bilateral Intergovernmental commission, a Syrian official said on Wednesday.

"A project to build an airport in Tartus at the site of an agricultural airfield within the framework of the Build-operate-transfer cooperation … There are two more projects in the field of health care, the most significant of them is the project on building the Russian-Syrian vaccine production plant," Imad Sabuni, the head of the Syrian Planning and International Cooperation Commission, told the al-Watan newspaper.

Other notable bilateral projects include rebuilding the car tires' factory and construction of a new cement plant, the official noted.

The 11th session of the Syrian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission was held earlier in December, during which several documents have been signed as well as a protocol covering 30 investment projects.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has estimated that it may take up to $400 billion to reconstruct Syria after the conflict. Russia is actively involved in the restoration of Syria’s infrastructure.