Development Road...an Iraqi project to link land between the Gulf states and Turkey

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[size=52]Development Road...an Iraqi project to link land between the Gulf states and Turkey[/size]

[size=45]During a conference that brought together officials from neighboring countries in Baghdad yesterday, Iraq announced a land line and railway project linking the Gulf countries to the Turkish border, through which Iraq aspires to become a primary line for transporting goods between the Middle East and Europe.[/size]
[size=45]The project, which was called the “Development Road,” and the Iraqi government set its cost at about 17 billion dollars, with a length of 1,200 km inside Iraq, is still in its early stages.[/size]
[size=45]Baghdad aspires to implement this project in cooperation with countries in the region. They are Qatar, the Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, whose representatives from the Ministries of Transport were invited, on Saturday, to Baghdad to participate in the conference dedicated to announcing the project.[/size]
[size=45]“A pillar of a sustainable economy”[/size]
[size=45]In his speech during the opening of the conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani said: “We see in this sustainable project a pillar of the sustainable non-oil economy, a link that serves Iraq’s neighbors and the region, and a contribution to bringing economic integration efforts.”[/size]
[size=45]According to a statement by the Transport and Economy Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, reported by the Iraqi News Agency “INA”, the project will be “an investment for the participating countries and every country can complete part of the project.”[/size]
[size=45]The statement indicated that “it is hoped that the project will be completed and completed within 3 to 5 years,” adding that “the investment mechanism will be discussed after holding the conference with the participating countries.”[/size]
[size=45]“triple hook”[/size]
[size=45]The representative of the Syrian delegation, Zuhair Khuzaym, said, “Syria supports this project and participated in the conference to listen to proposals and visions about the development road project, because of its importance and vitality,” according to what was reported by “Inaa.” He expressed his country's keenness to "integrate the tripartite railway connection between Syria, Iraq and Iran and the serious steps that Syria is working on to rehabilitate its railways," noting that "this integration is one of the major challenges within many major economic balances."[/size]
[size=45]The representative of the World Bank in Iraq, Richard Abdel Nour, said in his speech during the conference, “Iraq needs to invest more than 21 billion dollars in the transportation sector during the next five years,” pointing out that “the development path will increase the interconnection between Iraq and the countries of the region.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, “The development road project will significantly reduce pollution emissions,” stressing that “the World Bank is committed to supporting Iraq in modernizing infrastructure and creating job opportunities.”[/size]
[size=45]Iraq, which is rich in oil, suffers from deterioration in its infrastructure and roads as a result of decades of wars and the spread of corruption.[/size]
[size=45]Some of the roads that connect Baghdad to the north pass through areas where ISIS cells are active, on a sporadic basis.[/size]
[size=45]Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani confirms that one of his government's priorities is to rehabilitate the transportation and road infrastructure, as well as the dilapidated electricity sector.[/size]
[size=45]This project, called the “Development Road,” allows Iraq to exploit its geographical location and become a transit point for goods and trade between the Gulf and Europe. Work is currently underway to rehabilitate Al-Faw Port in the far south of Iraq, adjacent to the Gulf states, which will be an essential station for receiving goods before transporting them by land.[/size]
[size=45]The project also aims to build 15 train stations for goods and passengers along the line, starting from Basra in the south, passing through Baghdad and reaching the border with Turkey.[/size]
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