The Canton of Kobanê Canton has been subjected to a serious economic disaster as a result of the war with ISIS.
The canton’s economy is heavily agricultural based and dependent on plant and animal production. As a result of hostilities and the displacement of people, no crops were planted or produced, with the livestock dispelled, relocated, confiscated by ISIS or killed during the conflicts.
Due to the over reliance on the agricultural sector, lack of support and development by the Assad regime, the industrial and commercial sector has yet to be developed and lacks the appropriate infrastructure. As a result, the industrial and commercial sectors can only provide limited support to the canton’s economy as it currently stands. It is essential, that these sectors are developed, in line with the values, norms and capabilities of the canton and its people for its long term development and stability.
We have in this regard, the following proposals:
- Projects for irrigating the agricultural lands and distributing of drinking water to residential areas of the canton from the Euphrates River.
- Projects for compilation of metal scraps, resulting from the remnants of hostilities, and for establishment of a plant for melting metal and casting metal scraps into bars or ingots.
- Projects for establishing electricity grids and connecting them to regional grids. Other projects for production of electricity by diesel generators.
- Opening the main border gate with Turkey (Murshid Pinar Cross point), to insure the supply of essential needs especially petroleum products, fuel and food. The opening of the Murshid Pinar cross point will need to be synchronized with the opening of the border gate of Jazira Canton with Turkey to allow importing of the mentioned items and other types of goods from Jazira to Kobanê. This process also requires the transit of aid supplies and goods from the Turkish border without payment of customs taxes.
The Department of Trade and Commerce call upon all the relevant political parties, NGOs and aid organizations who can exert influence the Turkish government to implement this request. We also hope that all relevant NGOs, parties and organisations carry out their national and humanitarian duties in this historic stage towards the Kurdish people in Kobanê Canton by helping them to overcome the crisis and to pass through the effects of the disaster and to contribute to the revival of the canton’s economy.
Department of Trade and Commerce
