Political revenge or economic reasons?: There is no place for the Kurdistan Region in the “road of d

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[size=52]Political revenge or economic reasons?: There is no place for the Kurdistan Region in the “road of development”[/size]

[size=45]The American “Carnegie Institute” for research raised questions about the reasons for ignoring the announced “development path” project to link the great port of Faw with the Turkish border, the Kurdistan Region, pointing to the possibility of political revenge motives, or purely economic reasons related to the cost.[/size]
[size=45]The American report stated that Iraq launched, in May 2023, a bold infrastructure project that extends over all its lands, and connects the large port of Faw on the Gulf with Turkey through railway and road networks, a project that costs $17 billion, and would form a new link. between Asia and Europe.[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that the plan was the main topic of discussion during a one-day conference in Baghdad, organized by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and attended by transport ministers and officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, Turkey, Syria and Jordan.[/size]
[size=45]The report stated that the goal of the development path is to transform the transportation infrastructure in Iraq, after decades of conflict caused the deterioration of road and railway networks. He added that this not only affected people's ability to move, but also exacerbated the cost of trade and commercial exchange, which led to obstruction of the international and regional movement of goods and services.[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that the Iraqi government says that the project will officially start next year and extend in three phases until the year 2050, while the government seeks, during the first four years, to transport 22 million tons of large tonnage annually via railways.[/size]
[size=45]He continued, saying that despite these ambitious goals, the development path has been subjected to a set of criticisms, as some analysts considered that there was an exaggeration in talking about the project's capabilities and scope, noting that the feasibility assessment was conducted by an Italian company specialized in the energy sector and does not seem to have experience. in the design of transportation projects.[/size]
[size=45]The report added that one of the main problems that the project suffers from is its planned path, as the “development road” connects Basra with Baghdad and Mosul, before continuing towards the Turkish border, completely bypassing the Kurdistan Region.[/size]
[size=45]The report quoted the Iraqi government spokesman, Basem Al-Awadi, as saying that the topographical and economic factors imposed this decision, and that the passage of the road through the Kurdistan Region will lead, due to the nature of the mountainous region, to extending the first phase of the project for two additional years and increasing its budget by 3 billion dollars, which raises the cost of the project. Total costs to $20 billion.[/size]
[size=45]However, the report also quotes the Turkish-Iraqi researcher, Muhammad Alaka, as saying that the exclusion of the Kurdistan Region is a purely political step, adding that the 2017 referendum in the Kurdistan Region to secede from Iraq prompted the central government to take revenge. He noted that prior to the referendum, the region had maintained strong international relations, including through its oil companies, the anti-ISIS coalition, and strong parallel diplomacy.[/size]
[size=45]The report stated that the central government in Baghdad, since the referendum, has sought to curb the Kurdistan Region's access to the outside world and turn it into a mere local administrative entity.[/size]
[size=45]He added that in February 2022, the Federal Supreme Court annulled an oil and gas law approved by the Kurdistan Regional Government in 2007, which prevented the region from exporting its natural resources. This ruling also allowed Baghdad to hold Erbil accountable for its previous oil income in exchange for its budget allocations. He pointed out that this was followed by the issuance of a decision by the International Chamber of Commerce last May, which confirmed that the Iraqi National Oil Company is the only entity authorized to manage oil export operations through the Turkish port of Ceyhan.[/size]
[size=45]According to Irfan Saeed, a lecturer in political economy at the University of Kurdistan, these rulings reveal a concerted effort by the central government to isolate Kurdistan from the outside world.[/size]
[size=45]The report concluded by saying that with regard to infrastructure, it is always a political matter, especially when it comes to nationwide projects, but given that the Iraqi government exercises rule in light of the fear of the disintegration of its lands, the exclusion of the Kurdistan Region through “development” constitutes Risky move.[/size]
[size=45]The report added that the Kurds will see the project as part of a strategy to undermine development, with the aim of marginalizing and excluding the Kurdistan Region, which will only lead to an exacerbation of the national dispute. He mentioned a statement by the Minister of Transport and Communications in the Kurdistan Region, in which he said that "there is no way for development (in Iraq) without Kurdistan.[/size]
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