A map showing the path of the Development Road in Iraq. Photo: The New Region
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi instructed on Tuesday the establishment of a defined structure to finance and implement the strategic project of the Development Road, assuring the start of practical steps within a planned timeline.
Al-Zaidi’s remarks took place during his meeting in Baghdad with Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The meeting addressed the project’s economic significance for Iraq, Turkey, and the region, as well as its role in improving economic integration and regional connectivity.
Uraloglu underscored Turkey’s strong interest in the project, highlighting that both parties recognize the necessity of developing its fundamental infrastructure.
In early June, Head of the state-owned General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI), Farhan al-Fartousi, said that the planning process for the project and the al-Faw Grand Port has made tremendous progress, with essential operating plans already submitted to the government.
The project will enter the implementation phase following government approval in the coming months, according to al-Fartousi.
The $17 billion project, which will connect the al-Faw Grand Port in southern Iraq to the Turkish border by constructing a railway and road network, is anticipated to transform Iraq into a transit center by cutting the time it takes to travel from Asia to Europe.
In addition to pipelines for energy transportation, the project’s railway will significantly assist in the transportation of commodities, with a first-phase capacity of 3.5 million tons and a second-phase capacity of 7.5 million tons.
By connecting the port city of Basra to Turkey via an overland route, the logistics project will compete with Egypt’s Suez Canal and establish Basra as a gateway to Europe.
In 2024, Iraq, Turkey, the UAE, and Qatar signed a quadripartite agreement focused on Iraq’s Development Road project. This agreement aims to enhance cooperation on this strategic initiative, with the four countries collaborating to develop the necessary frameworks for its implementation.
Later in 2024, Turkey formed a council involving Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia to arrange the connection of Europe with Iraq’s Development Road.
As a global corridor for commodity and energy transportation, the project is projected to draw international trade while also providing significant job and investment opportunities for Iraq and countries in the region.