The transport sector provides suitable and appropriate conditions for the development of
the various sectors of the national economy, productivity and other services. Its
relationship with these sectors is characterized by a mutual influence relati
onship, which
means that no progress or development can be achieved in any of these sectors without
preceded or accompanied by significant progress in the transport sector.
The government has given special importance to this division since the inception of
independence, when the sector was allocated large provision in its successive five-year
plans. After the year 2000, there was a big leap in the provision of the allocations assigned
to the transport sector, where reached (to the ninth five-year plan (2001-2005)) the
equivalent to the expenditure on this sector in the previous five-year plans combined.
The systematic destruction and devastation of the crisis in Syria since March 2011 aimed at
splitting the country and paralyzing the traffic of passengers and goods. As a result, the
transport sector suffered heavy economic losses in its infrastructure and transportation.
These losses were evaluated in this research for the years 2011-2012, 2013 and the state of
the transport sector was reviewed before the crisis.
In view of the importance of this sector and its key role in the reconstruction, there was a
package of proposals and visions that were put forward for the reconstruction of the
infrastructure of the sector itself as a priority and strengthening the role of this sector in the
reconstruction and development within the framework of comprehensive regional planning
and sustainable development.
Perhaps the most important impact of the crisis was the decision of the Syrian state oriental
direction in its policy, which directly affects the implementation of transport networks and
infrastructure and means of transport.
Based on the goal of linking the five seas, which have set a higher goal in the national
framework for regional planning, some visions have been reviewed that can achieve this
goal in order to attract international transport and transit through Syria and exploit its
geographical position as a transport hub leading to an increase in economic growth rate To
raise the contribution of the transport sector to GDP.
The transport sector provides favorable conditions to the performance of the rest of the sectors in the economy, including productivity and service. It is also associated with a mutual relationship to the point where it makes it difficult to achieve
any
progress in those sectors without that which has preceded, or is accompanied by the development of the transport sector. Ten years prior to the Syrian crisis, the public transport sector had achieved significant progress compared to its previous history
and had been allocated large government subsidies for investment plans. The amount of the provision of the Ninth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005), was the equivalent of almost all the amount spent during the previous five-year plans. Since March 2011, the infrastructure, (roads, bridges, railways, airports and other transportation), were exposed to systematic acts of destruction and vandalism by the armed opposition whose aim was the paralysis of the economy and the dismemberment of the country to weaken the State's ability to respond to the confrontation. Due to the important role in this sector, we have an estimate of
economic losses, (both direct and indirect), from the starting points of the hypothesis of continuing the growth rate of GDP for the period before the crisis and the continuation of 3.1% during the crisis years (2011-2012-2013). (A continuing scenario) on the grounds in 2010 year basis, and compared with the actual reality of the GDP growth, where value represents the difference GDP losses during this period, or called opportunity cost. and after the addition of direct material losses reached to calculate the total economic losses, which amounted to about 85 billion Syrian pounds. The Preceded through the study and analysis of the reality of the performance of the transport sector with various activities government (land, sea and air) during the period (2000-2010) . .
The increase in economic activities and the size of population is usually associated
with more demand on transport sector activities. Furthermore, maintaining, upgrading and
modernising transport in an economy would eventually lead to reduce logist
ic and
production costs, and more competitively priced products. However, financing the costs of
maintaining and expanding the transport sector is increasingly becoming problematic,
particularly when fiscal resources are limited. Introducing surcharge on fuel prices has
been proven as a reliable option to mobilise funds necessary to finance transport sector
investment. However, fuel surcharges normally lead to price inflation as transport sector
outputs are inputs for most economic activities. This paper looks at possible impacts of
introducing a fuel surcharge on transport investment financing and price inflation in
Syrian economy . Findings show that a considerable part of fiscal funds would be
generated from the 10% fuel price surcharge with very little impact on price inflation .
