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From ruins to rebuilding inclusive economic recovery in Aleppo
While challenges in Syria remain profound, emerging signs of recovery—particularly in major urban centres—are beginning to reshape patterns of human mobility and economic investment.
Syria Community Consortium
Executive summary
A Window of Opportunity
More than a decade after the onset of conflict, Syria is entering a fragile yet consequential phase. The political developments of 8 December 2024 have contributed to a noticeable shift in the operating environment for businesses across the country. While challenges remain profound, emerging signs of recovery—particularly in major urban centres—are beginning to reshape patterns of human mobility and economic investment.
Aleppo stands at the centre of this transition. Once the economic heart of Syria, the city is again drawing people back—returnees seeking to rebuild their lives and residents striving to restore what was lost. According to a May 2026 assessment by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Aleppo recorded 461,914 returning internally displaced persons (IDPs), the highest number across Syria.
This policy brief sheds light on the economic dynamics in Aleppo, with a particular focus on the operating environment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The brief is produced by the Syria Community Consortium (SCC), a resilience-focused programme that brings together the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), International Medical Corps (IMC), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Oxfam in Syria. Through integrated programming centred on economic recovery—including business training, grants, and livelihood support—the SCC aims to enable sustainable recovery pathways that benefit Syrian communities.
