Iraq to begin first phase of Development Road
Shafaq News — Baghdad
On Monday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani instructed the Transport Ministry to complete all requirements for launching the first phase of the $17B Development Road, starting with rehabilitation of the al-Faw–Fishkhabur railway.
In a statement, al-Sudani underscored the project’s strategic role in connecting Iraq to regional and global trade networks, citing strong interest from partners outside the Middle East.
Officials examined detailed rail alignments to maximize operational efficiency, discussed financing the initial segment in next year’s budget, and addressed key connection points along the corridor. The meeting also noted the World Bank’s readiness to fund the first phase and modernize Iraq’s railways.
Anchored in the south by the Grand Faw Port—set to be the Middle East’s largest— the corridor’s early works include five berths, a 62 km access road, a submerged tunnel, and a container yard, all scheduled for completion by late 2025. Iraq’s accession to the UN-backed TIR Convention has already halved freight transit times between Europe and the Gulf, reinforcing the project’s economic potential.
The Development Road is a planned 1,200 km freight and passenger corridor linking the Grand Faw Port in Basra to Turkiye and onward to Europe by rail and highway. It aims to cut transit times between Asia and Europe, boost Iraq’s transit revenues, and spur industrial and urban growth along its route.
