APPAREL MAKERS TURN TO SYRIA AND UZBEKISTAN
Rising labor and production costs are forcing Turkish apparel manufacturers to seek new low-cost hubs, turning to Syria and Uzbekistan after previously expanding into Egypt.
Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Rising labor and production costs are forcing Turkish apparel manufacturers to seek new low-cost hubs, turning to Syria and Uzbekistan after previously expanding into Egypt.
In early November 2025, two gatherings revealed the evolving architecture of Eurasian energy and resource corridors: the “3+1” Energy Ministerial in Athens, bringing together Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States, and the C5+1 Summit in Washington between the United States and the five Central Asian republics—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have been on the radar of those who follow international relations due to two recent developments. Traditionally, the Central Asian Republics, rich in natural resources in a geo-strategic location, have been in the Russian sphere of influence and Russia still tries to exert dominance over them. However, nearly all have started to diversify their relations with third countries and regional groupings such as China, the U.S., the EU and Turkey.