Iraq and Turkey discuss developments in the development path during meetings in Baghdad.
Iraq and Turkey discuss developments in the development path during meetings in Baghdad.
2026-07-21
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Tuesday, Iraqi Transport Minister Wahab al-Hassani discussed with his Turkish counterpart Abdulkadir Ural in Baghdad a number of joint cooperation files, most notably the Development Road project.
The Ministry of Transport stated in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that Al-Hassani received the Turkish minister and his accompanying delegation in the capital, Baghdad, as part of an official visit by the Turkish side to Iraq.
She added that the talks focused on the strategic development road project, in which Iraq is involved with Turkey, the UAE and Qatar, in addition to discussing a number of issues related to the transport sector and mechanisms to enhance ongoing cooperation between the two countries.
The ministry indicated that the Turkish delegation included specialists in the transport sector, while a specialized technical team from the Iraqi Ministry of Transport participated in the meetings to discuss joint files.
In April 2024, Iraq, Turkey, the UAE and Qatar signed a four-way agreement for the Iraq Development Road project, under the auspices of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The project, which includes a 1,200-kilometer road and railway within Iraq, aims to promote economic integration between East and West, increase international trade, and facilitate the movement of goods.
The project’s investment budget is approximately $17 billion, divided between $6.5 billion for the highway and $10.5 billion for the electric railway. It will be implemented in three phases, ending in 2028, 2033, and 2050.
The project is expected to provide around 100,000 job opportunities in the first phase and one million job opportunities upon completion, and will promote economic growth and regional and international cooperation.
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