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00:00:04May God bless you. After participating in an absence that lasted more than
00:00:0814 years, air traffic returns to
00:00:11Deir Ezzor International Airport with the resumption of work there
00:00:15after the completion of rehabilitation works and its reception of the first
00:00:20of this airport domestic and international flights. The return of the airport
00:00:24of the next phase. the importance of this to service represents an important milestone in the path
00:00:27of revitalizing the air transport sector. And strengthening
00:00:32of Deir Ezzor Airport the movement between the eastern region and the rest
00:00:35of the Syrian governorates, in addition
00:00:38Al-Shaibani, in addition to reconnecting Deir
00:00:39Ezzor Airport does Ezzor to the regional and international
00:00:42flight network. In this special coverage, we will accompany
00:00:45you through the details of the airport's reopening, and the stages of its
00:00:49rehabilitation, and the importance of this
00:00:52step at the service and economic levels,
00:01:07region in particular, as it needs the opening of this
00:01:14I seek refuge in Allah just economic. I emphasize that investment in
00:01:21Our correspondent in Deir Ezzor,
00:01:23specifically from Deir
00:01:28of their happiness and also for the service Ezzor International Airport, Ahmed Al-Atra, joins us live. Welcome,
00:01:33their hope for the opening regime are in Ahmed. Describe the atmosphere for us with this long-awaited
00:01:36reopening of Deir Ezzor International Airport.
00:01:39Yes.
00:01:44Peace be upon you. As for
00:01:48in Syria, and also with its so that they do not Deir Ezzor, it is witnessing a true wedding with the reopening
00:01:50of its airport after it stopped for 14
00:01:54years, after it was a place of destruction and death.
00:01:56Today, it becomes a source to be a link
00:02:00between Deir Ezzor and other governorates,
00:02:04and Deir Ezzor and the world, whether the Arab world or the rest
00:02:07of the world. The atmosphere
00:02:10also we cannot overlook of celebration now, as you see it behind me. Of course, there is
00:02:14a plane that arrived at Deir Ezzor Airport
00:02:18governorate. Therefore, every positive carrying a number of ministers. I saw
00:02:20the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Higher Education. I also saw the Minister
00:02:26Almighty to make this of Communications, the Minister of Information. and eastern Syria and enhances
00:02:27a positive image, it is associated with So, ministers arrived on the first plane.
00:02:30There is another plane that has arrived now.
00:02:33Until this moment, those on board have not disembarked,
00:02:37and we do not know who
00:02:39is on it. In addition to
00:02:43a delegation from all ministries, especially the General Authority
00:02:47of Civil Aviation, there are also guests
00:02:50from the governorate, Deir Ezzor Governorate,
00:02:54and members of the Executive Office in Deir Ezzor,
00:02:57directors of departments, and there are
00:03:01that contributed to the completion also sheikhs who arrived at Deir
00:03:04Ezzor Airport to celebrate its opening today and its declaration
00:03:09great efforts to bring as a window for Deir Ezzor to the world and to
00:03:12Syria in general, after Deir Ezzor suffered
00:03:16greatly from bad roads after
00:03:20to welcome you all their destruction during the years of war that passed over it and the bombing
00:03:25stay with me, Ayham. that consumed many of its streets and the roads leading to it,
00:03:29after many years especially the Damascus road. So, we are now in a celebratory atmosphere.
00:03:34Al-Ikhbariya correspondent conveyed The plane has
00:03:38arrived now, and I don't know yet who
00:03:41is on it, but it
00:03:45appears to be a ministerial delegation that arrived
00:03:49at Deir Ezzor Airport
00:03:51another vital chain related also to be present at the celebration
00:03:54of the reopening of Deir Ezzor Airport after
00:03:57its rehabilitation.
00:04:01Of course, this Removing the stigma of death from it and removing
00:04:03Therefore, the presence of this the stigma of destruction from it. Rehabilitation continued
00:04:07from the second or from the second month,
00:04:10from last January until today.
00:04:13This morning, a plane arrived
00:04:17to rehabilitate this carrying
00:04:19due to the importance civilians from Damascus International Airport.
00:04:22Afterwards, at exactly one o'clock, a plane
00:04:26for the operation
00:04:27positively, and is part of arrived from Kuwait carrying civilians. Of course, this plane that arrived from Damascus,
00:04:30returned loaded with passengers
00:04:36network. From this them time and perhaps effort, from Deir Ezzor to Damascus, were present during this and also the Kuwaiti plane or the plane that came with passengers from Kuwait also carried
00:04:39passengers from Syria, or from Deir Ezzor
00:04:41in cooperation with specifically, to Kuwait. A number Delegations are in order for this still
00:04:45arriving. And those who have disembarked
00:04:48from the plane now,
00:04:50always triumphs over I see them in front of me.
00:04:54Until this moment, I can say that the governor of Deir Ezzor, Ziad
00:04:57Al-Aish, accompanied by the Minister. of Foreign Affairs,
00:05:01Mr. Asaad
00:05:03Al-Shaibani. So, Mr. Asaad Al-Shaibani has arrived
00:05:07a little while ago, of the presence at Deir Ezzor Airport to celebrate
00:05:10its opening.
00:05:12This is the delegation accompanying Mr. Asaad
00:05:16Al-Shaibani. They arrived at Deir Ezzor Airport
00:05:20to celebrate its reopening. So, there are
00:05:24security officials, military officials,
00:05:27military ranks arrived at Deir Ezzor Airport
00:05:29to celebrate its opening, and this is what makes
00:05:33or what shows
00:05:36event, an event that Syria in general
00:05:39and Deir Ezzor in particular have awaited
00:05:43for Deir Ezzor to return to,
00:05:46to its sisters, whether in Aleppo or Deir Ezzor, or in Homs
00:05:50or Latakia. So, its airport has returned
00:05:53to its people. Of course, there are many memories that the people
00:05:57of Deir Ezzor recall about this airport. It was their only outlet
00:06:01to escape the siege of ISIS and the regime's siege
00:06:05in Deir Ezzor city. They would sell their homes
00:06:08so they could leave by
00:06:11Il-76. But today, they all came to celebrate
00:06:16airport and express their happiness
00:06:18at its return so that it may be
00:06:22the link between them and the cities
00:06:25of Syria, the link between them and the Arab
00:06:28countries and between European countries.
00:06:32Many residents said that they want flights
00:06:35from Europe to Deir Ezzor, because
00:06:38most of the people of Deir Ezzor who were displaced by the regime's
00:06:41bombing and by the defunct
00:06:44Germany and in European countries. They want
00:06:48flights to operate to Deir Ezzor Airport. When they saw the Kuwaiti
00:06:51plane land, they confirmed that they
00:06:54hope that direct flights from Germany will come
00:06:59have to endure the hardship of traveling
00:07:02between Turkey, Lebanon,
00:07:05Jordan, or Erbil. So, there were many ways
00:07:08that the people of Syria, and the people of Deir Ezzor specifically, took
00:07:12to reach Deir Ezzor. But today, the airport
00:07:16is available.
00:07:19Yes, Ahmed. So, the opening
00:07:22ceremonies will take place now, mmm.
00:07:26Yes, peace be upon you. Please stay with us, Ahmed
00:07:29Al-Atra. We will return to you in the context of this live
00:07:33coverage regarding the reopening of the airport.
00:07:35I will switch to Paris, where journalist
00:07:39Ayham Taha joins
00:07:41me from there to follow these
00:07:44developments. Welcome, Mr. Ayham, to this coverage.
00:07:47You are a son of Deir Ezzor governorate,
00:07:51and you are following with us these live images
00:07:55of a new plane landing on the runways of Deir Ezzor
00:07:58International Airport after its reopening
00:08:01again. You knew the suffering that
00:08:04the people of Deir Ezzor were experiencing,
00:08:08or rather, suffering from, due to this airport that
00:08:11had turned into a military base because of the defunct regime since
00:08:152012, specifically. Today, things have changed
00:08:19completely. There are domestic flights returning to this
00:08:22civil international airport, and there are also international
00:08:26flights.
00:08:29First of all, my colleague, welcome, and to
00:08:32the esteemed viewers as well. I am very
00:08:35happy to be following these important moments
00:08:38for the city of Deir Ezzor, and I hope
00:08:41that it will be a start and a good omen for the airport,
00:08:45and also a start of improvement for
00:08:48the city. It is also a positive indicator
00:08:52and a beneficial matter for the city of Deir Ezzor,
00:08:55not only economically, socially, and also for
00:08:59transportation, but even mentally for collective healing.
00:09:02As you mentioned, in the mentality of the city,
00:09:06the image of airports was
00:09:09terrifying for the people of
00:09:13the city and the people of the region.
00:09:16civilian airport and its return to
00:09:19its original function
00:09:22and work, its return to
00:09:25the tasks it performs, civilian tasks of transporting passengers and goods
00:09:29and other things, and part of the communication
00:09:33process, this also affects the collective consciousness
00:09:36of the people of the city
00:09:39the healing from the trauma and the association
00:09:43of the airport only with bombing and other things. Therefore, it is beneficial
00:09:47even for the mentality, not to mention its economic
00:09:50benefits. It is part of revitalizing the city's
00:09:54economy and reconnecting it with the outside
00:09:57world, and also reconnecting people with their city.
00:10:00I was happy to follow the flights that the airport
00:10:04received, both outgoing and incoming, some of them heading
00:10:07to Damascus and the other to Kuwait, which is also
00:10:11a very useful matter at this time. To revitalize
00:10:15the city and revitalize its economy and revive it.
00:10:18Yes, when these planes landed, it was a sign of
00:10:21the beginning of a completely new phase for this airport
00:10:25and its return to playing its main role
00:10:27for the people of the governorate. You focused
00:10:31on the psychological aspect for the people of Deir Ezzor
00:10:34and the suffering it caused, especially during the siege,
00:10:37as our correspondent mentioned a little while ago. But also,
00:10:40Mr. Ayham, you touched on the repercussions of the reopening
00:10:45specifically on economic affairs. From there, we also expand
00:10:48to the service repercussions. Please elaborate further, as
00:10:52you are a son of the governorate. How will the reopening
00:10:57again affect the service
00:11:00and economic levels of the governorate
00:11:03as
00:11:05well? My colleague, Deir Ezzor Airport is an essential
00:11:09and vital part of the city's communication
00:11:11points and connection points
00:11:15for the outside world. Deir Ezzor governorate, being
00:11:18relatively far from the rest of the governorates,
00:11:21and also needs time to
00:11:25rebuild and reopen
00:11:29land roads. This airport and air transport operations
00:11:33constitute an essential part of communication operations, not
00:11:38the social aspects as well,
00:11:42as they are important for reconnecting people
00:11:45and for their trips to and from their governorate,
00:11:50sector. There are many services
00:11:54in all areas that we can imagine that this airport
00:11:57can help with and also affect
00:12:01positively. The main positive point here
00:12:05is that we are at the beginning of the steps
00:12:09towards full recovery of the region. This will take time,
00:12:12I know that, but it is a fundamental
00:12:15and central point and represents
00:12:17a vital shift for
00:12:20the region and needs time
00:12:23to complete all the fundamental and necessary aspects
00:12:27in its operation. But as for the reality of the city today,
00:12:30this is an important part that we cannot overlook,
00:12:35what it affects. I emphasized the psychological factors because
00:12:38they are necessary at this time for the people
00:12:41of the governorate who have suffered a lot,
00:12:45and the airport was associated with bad images in their minds.
00:12:48But today, it is associated with
00:12:52hope, it is associated with recovery, it is also associated with many
00:12:55positive service aspects, such as the transport
00:12:58of equipment, medical transport, and the transport
00:13:02of expertise. This can positively affect the improvement
00:13:05of the city's conditions and the improvement of its
00:13:08service communication with the rest of the governorates
00:13:11and also with its regional environment. Also, this is
00:13:14an important matter. In the first flights of the airport,
00:13:18we found two flights, one domestic and the other
00:13:21regional, and this confirms the importance
00:13:25and vitality of communication for this. We know that a large part
00:13:28of the people of the governorate work outside the governorate.
00:13:32Yes, the airport's characteristics today, in terms
00:13:35of speed, ease, and transportation, all
00:13:39this makes it an essential part of transportation operations.
00:13:41We do not neglect other modes of transport,
00:13:45such as land, etc. But air transport today is an essential
00:13:49part all over the world, and it is a vital part,
00:13:52especially for the city of Deir Ezzor. And I believe that it is one of the
00:13:56positive factors that will affect the future of the city
00:13:59and a necessary threshold for moving
00:14:03towards the future, and also for driving the economic
00:14:06wheel. The mere presence of the airport and flights
00:14:09will lead to an operational process, not only for the airport's
00:14:13staff, but also for
00:14:16to delivery, to transportation, and
00:14:19also to assisting in transportation. A chain of people
00:14:23will find job opportunities related to the airport
00:14:26and its operation, and this will certainly
00:14:29positively affect the region's economy and its service
00:14:33and living conditions, and also its social communication
00:14:37by intensifying people's visits to their regions
00:14:39and families. Today, I received more than one call from
00:14:43people located in various parts of the world
00:14:46confirming that they welcome this step
00:14:50and also that they are happy about the possibility
00:14:53of communicating and going directly to Deir Ezzor. This saves
00:14:59and also helps them communicate more with their families.
00:15:02You emphasized the issue of welcome from
00:15:04more than one Syrian, especially perhaps the people
00:15:08of the governorate, the people of Deir Ezzor themselves,
00:15:11and you mentioned the importance of this shift in air
00:15:15transport because it saves effort and time
00:15:19for all those who wish to return
00:15:23to Deir Ezzor. And there was also evidence,
00:15:27as our correspondent conveyed to us in live images
00:15:32of many community, tribal,
00:15:35and prominent figures of this governorate
00:15:39this exceptional event, the reopening of the airport.
00:15:43What can be understood from all
00:15:47that? I understand people's happiness,
00:15:50or this is what I want to look at. During my monitoring of the news,
00:15:54I monitor not only news coming from official
00:15:57bodies and so on, but I emphasize social
00:16:01sources in this region
00:16:03because they have an important dimension, especially at this
00:16:08stage. All the operations of development
00:16:12or movements,
00:16:14the opening of water stations,
00:16:18or even transport stations, and today the opening of the airport,
00:16:22all this has a positive effect. Therefore, I confirm
00:16:25and try to monitor not only the published news,
00:16:29and I monitored a number of news published
00:16:32on websites, not only French but
00:16:35European, confirming the importance of such steps
00:16:39for the complete recovery of Syria and the recovery of the eastern
00:16:44more development. But I was also
00:16:48keen to monitor the social reactions
00:16:52of the residents of Deir Ezzor who are currently there,
00:16:55and also the emigrants from Deir Ezzor and those
00:16:58spread around the world. All of this
00:17:01gave me positive indicators
00:17:05with the presence of such an airport, and also
00:17:10of more services in
00:17:13their region. And all of this will also reflect
00:17:17positively on facilitating services and on the city's
00:17:20development and on the city's communication with its surroundings
00:17:25regional surroundings. And this will also reflect on the city's
00:17:29economy, which is very important at this stage, the stage
00:17:32of recovery. But I was emphasizing at this
00:17:36stage that what should prevail is the positive feeling
00:17:39of people's need for it. I monitored
00:17:42some news and also websites that
00:17:45try to downplay it, to make it a normal or ordinary
00:17:49thing. No, this is not a normal or ordinary news
00:17:52item. We are in a devastated
00:17:55action, every important event like the opening of this airport
00:17:59is a positive thing that should be highlighted,
00:18:03praised, and its importance emphasized, because it is a fundamental
00:18:06and vital necessity, especially for the residents of the region,
00:18:10and a basic factor in their lives,
00:18:14and also an important thing for the development
00:18:17of the city in terms of services and also in terms of transportation.
00:18:21So, it is important to point to it and emphasize
00:18:24its importance and confirm that this is not only
00:18:28a local indicator, but an indicator of Syria's
00:18:32complete recovery. Yes, we need time for this recovery,
00:18:35but this is a positive sign of the beginning
00:18:39of revival, and that there are vital and service
00:18:42centers that have started working and need time
00:18:46to complete their capacity, capabilities, and expertise. But as a start,
00:18:49this is a very important indicator
00:18:52for what I have observed and also for what
00:18:56I personally feel as one of the sons of this
00:18:59governorate. Yes, please
00:19:02We will expand further on this indicator that
00:19:06you mentioned, but let's go back to what our
00:19:12to us a little while ago, the moment a delegation of ministers and officials
00:19:16arrived at Deir Ezzor International Airport.
00:19:19We follow the arrival of a number of ministers
00:19:22of the Syrian government at Deir Ezzor Airport
00:19:25to officially announce its opening.
00:19:28So, this is the plane carrying a number of ministers
00:19:32of the Syrian government to Deir Ezzor
00:19:36International Airport. airport
00:19:40was greatly damaged
00:19:42during the years of the Syrian revolution.
00:19:45After the unification of the country,
00:19:49rehabilitation works were immediately
00:19:51started
00:19:55airport and equip it with modern
00:19:57technical equipment in order for it to be
00:20:01suitable
00:20:03of this airport. Of course, there was a
00:20:07large official presence and a number of ministers
00:20:11of the Syrian government opening.
00:20:15of events were held
00:20:18airport to be the artery of eastern
00:20:21Syria to the world and to other Syrian
00:20:24governorates. Muhammad Qambari, Al-Ikhbariya
00:20:28Al-Suriyya, Deir Ezzor Airport.
00:20:31Indeed. Stay with us, Muhammad Qambari, our correspondent
00:20:35also from Deir Ezzor Airport, at this event
00:20:39and its reopening. Welcome, Muhammad.
00:20:42So, from the information you provided us, we would
00:20:45like to know more about who was on board
00:20:48the plane that finally arrived at the airport
00:20:52and included a ministerial delegation, as you mentioned a little while
00:20:56ago? Who was on board from officials and ministers
00:20:59as well? Please elaborate
00:21:00for us.
00:21:05Yes, peace be upon you. Indeed, a large ministerial
00:21:09delegation from the Syrian government arrived
00:21:12a little while ago on board two planes
00:21:16at Deir Ezzor International Airport. Of course, this delegation
00:21:21was headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
00:21:24and Expatriates, Mr. Asaad
00:21:28to a large number of ministers, the Minister of
00:21:31Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed Al-Saleh, in addition
00:21:35to the Minister of Information and the Minister of Health,
00:21:38and the head of the Land and Sea Ports Authority
00:21:41and the General Authority of Civil Aviation and a number of ministers,
00:21:45and also, there was
00:21:47and a number of other ministers.
00:21:52Yes, Muhammad. Yes, Muhammad. We will go
00:21:55directly to the opening ceremony of Deir Ezzor
00:21:59Airport again. We will go directly, dear viewers.
00:24:10on this day when we celebrate
00:24:14the reopening of Deir Ezzor International Airport
00:24:19of closure, so that this vital facility
00:24:22may resume its mission of serving the people of the governorate
00:24:26and connecting it with the rest of the Syrian governorates
00:24:30and the world. The opening of Deir Ezzor
00:24:33Airport today does not merely represent the re-operation
00:24:37of a service facility, but rather embodies a new stage in
00:24:41the process of rebuilding Syria and restoring
00:24:44its institutions, driving the wheel
00:24:47of development, and enhancing confidence in the state's
00:24:50ability to implement strategic projects that serve
00:24:53the citizen and support the national economy.
00:24:57Dear attendees, from the first day, and under the guidance
00:25:00of His Excellency the President, the re-operation of Deir
00:25:04Ezzor Airport was a national priority
00:25:09of this airport in serving the people of the governorate,
00:25:13facilitating the movement of citizens, enhancing
00:25:16economic and investment activity, and reintegrating
00:25:20eastern Syria into the national
00:25:23and international air transport
00:25:26standpoint, the General Authority of Civil Aviation,
00:25:31ministries, institutions, and relevant authorities,
00:25:35worked to complete this project in a record
00:25:38time, while fully adhering to the highest
00:25:42standards of safety, security,
00:25:44and operational efficiency. We made
00:25:48a strategic decision to implement the project
00:25:51in stages. Instead of waiting years
00:25:54until the construction of a new airport
00:25:58with all its facilities is complete, we preferred
00:26:01to rehabilitate the existing passenger terminal
00:26:05and restart the airport as quickly as possible,
00:26:09because the priority was always to restore service
00:26:11to citizens and enable airlines
00:26:15to include Deir Ezzor Airport in their
00:26:18operational networks and put it on a path
00:26:21of sustainable development that meets the needs
00:26:26This approach has proven that phased planning
00:26:29can achieve tangible results in a short
00:26:32period while maintaining a long-term
00:26:36vision for development. Ladies
00:26:39and gentlemen, Deir
00:26:42not serve Deir Ezzor Governorate
00:26:44alone, but rather forms part of a comprehensive
00:26:48national vision for developing
00:26:51the Syrian airports network and redistributing
00:26:54air traffic to achieve more
00:26:57balanced development among various
00:27:00governorates and enhance the civil
00:27:04aviation sector's ability to support the national
00:27:07economy and connect Syria with its regional
00:27:11and international surroundings. We believe
00:27:15civil aviation is an investment in the future
00:27:19of the entire Syrian economy because it drives trade,
00:27:22encourages investment, creates
00:27:25job opportunities, and opens new horizons for growth
00:27:29and development. Dear attendees,
00:27:33what we are opening today is the first
00:27:36phase of a comprehensive project for the development
00:27:40of Deir Ezzor Airport. The next phase, God
00:27:43willing, will witness the construction of a modern
00:27:46passenger terminal that meets the expected
00:27:50growth in passenger traffic, and the construction
00:27:53of a developed air cargo center that serves
00:27:56the commercial, agricultural, and industrial movement
00:27:59in the governorate, and the construction
00:28:03of an integrated hangar for aircraft maintenance
00:28:05that supports air operations and enhances
00:28:08technical capabilities, in addition to a hotel
00:28:12and investment areas and integrated service
00:28:15and logistical facilities, which will transform Deir Ezzor
00:28:19Airport into an economic and developmental center
00:28:23that serves the governorate
00:28:26its position within the air transport system in the Syrian
00:28:29Arab Republic. The General Authority of Civil Aviation
00:28:33and Transport will also continue to implement its
00:28:36comprehensive plan to develop Syrian airports, attract
00:28:39more airlines, and expand the network
00:28:42of air destinations to enhance Syria's
00:28:45position on the regional and international air transport
00:28:48map, and solidify its position as
00:28:51a vital hub connecting East and West.
00:28:55On this occasion, I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation
00:28:58to all ministries, institutions, and authorities
00:29:03of this project, and to the staff of the General Authority
00:29:07and the workers at Deir Ezzor Airport who exerted
00:29:11this achievement to light in a short period.
00:29:15I also extend my thanks to our people
00:29:19in Deir Ezzor Governorate for their patience
00:29:22and their trust. I assure them
00:29:26that this project is only the beginning
00:29:29of a developmental journey that we will continue
00:29:32to work on with all determination and sincerity.
00:29:36In conclusion: what has been achieved today is not the end
00:29:40of the road, but the beginning of a new phase
00:29:43in the development of the civil aviation sector.
00:29:46We will continue to work, with God's help, to
00:29:49develop our airports, modernize our
00:29:53infrastructure, enhance safety standards
00:29:56and efficiency, and attract quality investments
00:29:59until the civil aviation sector becomes
00:30:03a real driver of economic development and a supporter
00:30:06of trade, tourism,
00:30:09and investment, and a bridge connecting Syria to the world.
00:30:13Deir ez-Zor International Airport, God willing,
00:30:16will be a model for this
00:30:20vision and a bright gateway
00:30:23to eastern Syria and a source
00:30:26of pride for its people and a real
00:30:29engine