Emaar Properties plans up to $17bn Syria investment programme

Emaar Properties intends to invest up to $17bn in real estate and tourism development projects in Syria, Mohamed Alabbar said during a session at RISE Summit 2026. Investment decisions will be guided by economic feasibility, development potential and social responsibility, he said.

Investment range and resource assessment#

The planned investments would range between $16bn and $17bn, Alabbar said. He highlighted Syria's resources across agriculture, water, oil, gas and local expertise, describing these as providing a foundation for development projects over the long term. A recent visit to Syria allowed him to explore investment opportunities firsthand, he said, expressing appreciation for the competence of officials and the level of cooperation encountered.

Project timeline and community engagement#

Major investment projects could extend over 20 years, Alabbar said. Transparency and social responsibility matter when building sustainable relationships with local communities, he said. Clear economic and commercial considerations must guide investment decisions, he said, while those decisions should also support job creation, business development, local economic activity and government revenues. Companies from the UAE that invest in other markets carry a responsibility to support development and raise quality of life where they operate, he said.

Emaar sales backlog and payment performance#

Emaar Properties' real estate sales backlog stands at $40.84bn, Alabbar said. Despite market challenges, buyers are meeting their payment obligations at levels that match 2025 performance and in some respects exceed it, he said. Emaar typically sells around 4,000 property units a month, he said. Unit cancellations increased from roughly 600 in 2025 to 1,200 when regional tensions were elevated, then declined to under 600 at present, he said.

Pricing policy and market conditions#

Emaar does not adjust prices or alter payment terms when sales slow, Alabbar said, a policy intended to treat all buyers equally and protect those who purchased earlier. Some developers under financial strain and carrying significant debt may cut prices sharply to generate cash, he said, though conditions differ depending on where a project is located, who is developing it and their balance sheet position. Discounting by 30 percent for a new buyer in a building where earlier customers paid the full amount would be unfair, he said.