Iraqi border yards need upgrades to handle Syria trade
Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Damascus
Some Iraqi border-crossing yards with Syria need upgrades to accommodate growing trade and truck traffic, a Syrian trade official told Shafaq News on Sunday.
Mohammad Imad Mawlawi, an executive board member of the Damascus Countryside Chamber of Commerce, said some yards on the Iraqi side need better paving and infrastructure, with winter conditions making suitable surfaces particularly important for accommodating increased freight traffic and keeping trade moving smoothly.
By comparison, Mawlawi described procedures at Syrian crossings as “very good,” saying Syria had equipped its border points and customs yards to maintain commercial traffic despite the conditions the country faced in recent years.
Beyond infrastructure, the official called for faster crossing procedures and keeping transport costs in check, warning that delays increase shipping expenses and ultimately raise the final price of goods. Such improvements would facilitate the movement of goods, support bilateral trade and allow Syria and Iraq to make greater use of their economic potential.
The Syria-Iraq border stretches for about 600 kilometers and includes three main official land crossings: Al-Yarubiyah–Rabia, linking Al-Hasakah with Nineveh province; Al-Bukamal–Al-Qaim, connecting Deir ez-Zor with Al-Anbar; and Al-Tanf–Al-Waleed near the Syria-Iraq-Jordan tri-border area. The Semalka–Faysh Khabur crossing over the Tigris River also links northeastern Syria with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
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