Turkey to build 133 km of rail for Iraq’s Development Road project

Turkey could extend its railway by building 133 km of rail to link it to Iraq through its USD 17 bn Development Road Project, officials from the Turkish transport ministry said, according to an Iraqi Transport Ministry statement. The plans — which were discussed during General Railway Company Director General Younis Al Kaabi’s visit to Turkey — are a stepping stone to bilateral agreements set to be inked between the countries soon, according to the statement.

Turkey is also prepared to provide support in construction and training, Director o f Turkish State Railways Hassan Pezuk is quoted as saying inthe statement.

What else went on during the visit? The two sides reviewed the phases of the project, capacity and operation volumes, standards and specifications, and the number and types of stations, heights, topography and soil studies, the statement said.

What’s next? The two sides proposed carrying out further studies and investigation in the Iraqi town of Fishkhabour, which is the border point between the countries, the statement adds. The countries have also proposed setting up a mechanism of action for joint work as well as exchanging experience, according to the statement.

Turkish companies are already involved in the project: Two unnamed Turkish companies had been selected earlier to test and sample soil and survey the route of the planned railway. The first company operates the area from Al Faw to Iraq’s Karbala city, while the second operates from Karbala towards the Iraqi-Turkish border

Turkey isn't the only one who is interested: The Director General of the Technical Department at Iraq’s Transport Ministry also discussed with the Philippines’ chargé d’affaires in Baghdad prospects of mutual cooperation in the transport sector, particularly in the Development Road and the Grand Faw Port project, according to a separate Iraqi Transport Ministry statement. Iraq invited Filipino companies with expertise to invest in the project, the statement adds, while the Filipino representative expressed his country’s readiness to participate.

Background: The project, set to link Grand Faw Port in Iraq’s southern Basra province to Turkey through rail and road infrastructure was launched back in May, with prospects to involve high-speed trains that can transport goods and passengers at speeds up to 300 km per hour. Its first phase is set for completion in 2028. The initiative represents a major upgrade to Iraq’s logistics infrastructure and is expected to see participation from GCC countries, with talks taking place with Qatari and Emirati officials. Syria, China, Hungary, and Lebanon have also expressed their interest in participating in the project.