Erdogan: UAE backs Iraqi 'Development Road' project
Shafaq News / Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Monday emphasized a strong commitment to the vast regional infrastructure and transportation project linking southern Iraq to Türkiye and said talks with sides to the planned initiative would be carried out swiftly.
"Our Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure will rapidly engage in discussions with relevant counterparts to bring this project to fruition," Erdoğan told reporters on a flight back after a visit to the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
Pitched as a link between Asia and Europe, the $17-billion Development Road aims to tie Grand Faw Port, a major commodities port in Iraq’s oil-rich south, to the border with Türkiye, and then to Europe, through a network of railways and highways.
Unveiled in late May, the route would facilitate the movement of energy resources, goods and passengers from the Gulf to Europe through the Grand al-Faw Port in Basra province.
"The Development Road project is a comprehensive initiative encompassing the countries of the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Türkiye," Erdoğan said, particularly stressing United Arab Emirates' (UAE) interest in the initiative.
"United Arab Emirates President (Sheikh) Mohammed Bin Zayed (Al Nahyan) has shown a strong commitment to this project," he said. "In fact, in our most recent meeting, he proposed that preparations for this project be completed within '60 days' after putting it in writing."
The project commences from Basra Province in the southernmost part of Iraq, traversing ten Iraqi provinces before reaching Turkey and subsequently Europe. Among its advantages are connecting global trade from east to west, with annual profits projected to reach approximately $4 billion, along with the creation of 100,000 job opportunities.
From a specific point at the Port of Faw, the multi-modal development road (dual-use) begins, featuring highways for cargo trucks and railway lines for the transportation of goods and passengers. This transformation turns Iraq into a major trade hub and a significant transit station between Asia and Europe, reducing maritime travel time from 33 to 15 days.
The project's cost is estimated at $17 billion, with $10 billion allocated for the purchase of high-speed electric trains capable of transporting cargo within 16 hours. The remaining funds will be used to expand the 1,200-kilometer railway network.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation, the project is scheduled for completion by 2028, with its current progress standing at 40% from its starting point at the Port of Faw. The maximum capacity of the Port of Fao al-Kabir is expected to reach around 3.5 million equivalent units by 2028, expanding to approximately 7.5 million equivalent units by 2038.
The "Development Road" and "Dry Canal" project is not only significant for Iraq and Turkey but for the entire world and the region, connecting the east to the west as a global conduit for goods transportation. It will encompass railway lines, land transportation routes, and the Port of al-Faw, the largest port in the Middle East and an industrial city for energy, poised to become one of the largest industrial cities in the Middle East.
Osama Rabie, the head of the Egyptian Suez Canal Authority, emphasized that there is no alternative to the Suez Canal, referencing the wave of alternative routes, including the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
He stated, "The other route, which passes through multiple countries, including the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and reaching Israel, consists of both sea and railway segments. This makes it limited in terms of carrying capacity, as trains cannot transport massive containers like ships passing through the Suez Canal. There are also high risks associated with transferring cargo from ships to railways, resulting in high costs and potential disruptions. Therefore, it cannot serve as an alternative to the Suez Canal."
