PM Barzani launches major urban watercourse project in Erbil
Shafaq News – Erbil
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani laid the foundation of the Pathway of Life (Rerawy Zhiyan), a large-scale urban watercourse project to transform Erbil’s infrastructure, public spaces, and tourism appeal.
On X, Barzani called the initiative a driver of urban change, pledging tangible improvements to “the quality of life, environment, and health of our people.”
We laid the foundation stone for Pathway of Life in Erbil, a project that will have wide-ranging impacts on the capital’s development, particularly in tourism.With these projects, real change is coming to the quality of life, environment, and health of our people soon. pic.twitter.com/lxRVwW2ZPQ
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) November 5, 2025
The project centers on an artificial waterway surrounded by pedestrian paths, green areas, and recreational zones, aiming to enhance sustainability, livability, and tourism through a modern, multi-use public corridor. Developed in partnership between Kurdish engineers and Italian urban planners, the design connects three core zones in Erbil, linking neighborhoods along a culturally and socially active route with contemporary public architecture.
According to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the channel will measure 15 to 25 meters wide and up to five meters deep, following two main loops from the Shawais subdistrict and Sebardan neighborhood toward the Kirkuk road and the Makhmour district route.
The launch comes amid a tourism boom in Iraqi Kurdistan, where visitor numbers topped two million after the rollout of an eight-year development strategy in 2022.
KRG data shows more than 3,000 tourism facilities have been built with over $7.5 billion in investment, while infrastructure upgrades—including a $25 million road project in Erbil—are underway to improve access to historical and cultural destinations.
Read more: Erbil kicks off $25M road project amid tourism boom
