Baghdad, Erbil map route for Iraq’s Development Road

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq is considering the creation of an independent federal body to oversee the $17B Development Road Project, Deputy Prime Minister and Planning Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim revealed on Wednesday.

During a meeting between officials from Iraq’s government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Baghdad, Tamim explained that the initiative “does not conflict with any other international project but complements global trade networks,” adding it will be managed under federal authority with revenues distributed according to Iraq’s constitution.

KRG Transport and Communications Minister Ano Jawhar Abdoka called the road “the long-awaited Iraqi dream” and reiterated the KRG’s commitment to ensuring its success.

Talks focused on routes through Kurdistan, the exact crossing point into Turkiye, and connecting Iraqi cities by road and rail to maximize economic impact. Officials emphasized that much of the route will skirt city centers to limit land seizures and streamline construction.

In April 2024, Iraq signed a four-party agreement with Turkiye, the UAE, and Qatar to launch the project, under the patronage of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Stretching 1,200 kilometers from Basra to Turkiye, the Development Road will combine a highway and electric railway at a cost of $17B — $6.5B for the road and $10.5B for the railway. Construction will be phased to 2028, 2033, and 2050, with officials projecting 100,000 jobs in the early stage and up to one million once fully complete.