Location and Investment

• Location: Yaafour, Rural Damascus, about 22 km from central Damascus along the Damascus–Beirut Highway (15–20 minutes from the center, according to the Ministry of Public Works and Housing).
• Total project area: About 300,000 square meters.
• Developer: Emaar Properties, which announced in May 2026 that it would proceed without a partner (see the updates below).
• Investment value: $500 million, according to Emaar (May 2026), the same figure given in launch-era reports in 2006 and 2007.

Key Components

As listed in the statement of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (26 April 2026), except where another source is named.

1. Commercial & Retail Zone:
   • A shopping center covering more than 200,000 square meters.
   • Over 250 retail outlets for local and international brands, plus entertainment areas and restaurants.
   • Parking for more than 2,300 vehicles.
2. Offices (Business Center):
   • Modern office buildings in a range of sizes, aimed at local and international companies.
   • The Damascus Securities Exchange has its headquarters in the Yaafour – Eighth Gate area, according to SANA (September 2025). Earlier reports said the Commercial Centre would include the exchange building and a 30-storey office tower (Al Bawaba, August 2007), and Property Week (July 2009) reported a managing partner of Invest Group Overseas (IGO) telling Reuters that the first phase would include the new exchange.
3. Residential & Hospitality Zone:
   • Built-up area of approximately 196,000 square meters for residential and hotel units.
   • About 600 residential and tourist apartments.
   • 200 five-star hotel rooms.

Services and Background

• Services: The Ministry’s list of services covers electricity, telecommunications and internet, together with security, guarding and ongoing maintenance.
• Background: Emaar says the project dates back to 2005 and describes it as the first master-planned community in Syria; it also says the name was inspired by the seven historic gates of Damascus. MEED reported in March 2006 that Emaar had announced the scheme in mid-October. WAM, the UAE news agency, reported on 11 June 2006 on the project’s ground-breaking ceremony, and Al Bawaba reported in December 2006 that ground had been broken in June for a joint venture between Emaar and IGO.

UPDATE 26.04.2026, CONTRACT ANNEX SIGNED

A contract annex for the project was signed. SANA reported that the General Housing Establishment signed a contract annex for the project with Emaar Properties, in partnership with Invest Group Overseas (IGO), in the presence of the Minister of Public Works and Housing. The Ministry’s statement set out the project’s scale and components. Syria TV reported on 19 May 2026 that the Ministry had announced the resumption of work on the project after years of stoppage. SANA’s report gives no construction start date, timetable or financial terms for the annex.

UPDATE 18.05.2026, EMAAR ANNOUNCES IT WILL PROCEED WITHOUT A PARTNER

Exit from the joint-venture structure. Emaar Properties said in a statement issued on 18 May 2026 that it is now exiting the joint-venture set-up for The Eighth Gate and will operate in Syria on its own, with no partner. It added that the step reflects its confidence in Syria’s economic recovery, and that the project will follow the operating and design approach used for developments such as Emaar Beachfront, Dubai Hills Estate and Downtown Dubai. Its founder said the decision reflects the company’s faith in Syria and its people.

Project description in Emaar’s statement. According to Emaar, the project covers 300,000 square meters in Yaafour, 22 km from the center of Damascus, and combines residential, hospitality, retail and commercial zones, with an investment of $500 million. The company says it dates back to 2005 and calls it the first master-planned community in Syria. Emaar’s statement does not name the partner, give the terms of the exit or set a construction timetable.