Note
Seyedaboulfazl Jafarinejad
Introduction
The Iraqi government has recently started a major transportation project to connect Asia to Europe by land. This project, which starts from the south of Iraq and continues to the Turkish border, is designed to increase trade and economic exchanges between these regions. With the completion of this project, the transportation of goods and passengers in this route will be improved and Iraq will be known as a commercial and logistics center in the region.
In order to connect Europe to Asia, Iraq has launched a transportation corridor project with the aim of establishing a land connection between these two regions, with a cost of 17 billion dollars. This project, which is the largest transportation project in the history of Iraq, is going in the direction that extends towards the Turkish border.
The main goals of this project include facilitating trade and economic exchanges between Asia and Europe, increasing the attractiveness of Iraq as a commercial and logistics center in the region, creating job opportunities, improving transportation infrastructure, and improving the level of services and transportation facilities in Iraq.
This transport corridor project will include the construction of roads, railways, ports and other facilities along the route and will allow European and Asian countries to use this direct route for transporting their goods and passengers. With the completion of this project, the economic connections between the two big continents of Asia and Europe will be improved and Iraq will be recognized as the main axis in this global strategy.
17 billion project of the Iraqi transport corridor, an alternative to the Suez Canal
The transportation route considered by the Iraqi government includes a road and rail connection from Faw (in the south of Iraq and near the Persian Gulf) to Turkey. This project will turn Iraq into a goods transit center between Asia and Europe. By establishing this transportation route, Iraq intends to provide an alternative route to the Suez Canal.
Considering the security and political issues in the Suez Canal region, using the Iraqi road and rail route for the transportation of goods and passengers between Asia and Europe is a suitable alternative. This development in Iraq helps its government to be recognized as a strategic transit center in the transport routes between the continents of Asia and Europe.
According to Farhan Al-Fartosi, the CEO of Iraq Ports Company, the development of a road route for the transportation of goods and passengers, as well as a direct connection with trade and transportation, will have a much wider impact on Iraq. He believes that this road will be a gateway for the development of different parts of Iraq.
The development of the road route will not only improve the transportation of goods and passengers, but it can also lead to the creation of employment opportunities and economic development in different areas of Iraq. This route can create business, tourism, and investment opportunities in the surrounding areas and strengthen the country’s economy.
The statements of the CEO of Iraq Ports Company show that the Iraqi government has taken a strategic action by developing a road route and establishing a land connection between Asia and Europe, in order to realize wider economic and social development.
The plan to create a rail line with a speed of 300 km in the transportation corridor of Iraq
The plan to create a rail line with a speed of 300 kilometers per hour and connect different regions of Iraq to this rail line shows that the Iraqi government needs to create an advanced and modern rail transport infrastructure. This rail line will be able to transport passengers and goods with high speed and more efficiency.
Through this railway line, Iraq will be able to connect different regions of the country to a rail transport network, which can contribute to the economic and social development of the country. Connecting Iraqi regions to this rail line can improve employment opportunities, develop rural areas, attract investment and facilitate access to services and resources.
The creation of this high-speed rail line shows that Iraq will focus on creating an advanced transportation system, using strategic technologies. This project can help to develop Iraq’s rail transport infrastructure and turn the country into a rail transport center in the region.
Currently, Iraq’s rail network is very limited due to its age and technical limitations. Iraq’s rail network is mainly used to transport oil and oil products, and the number of passenger cars and trains is very limited. Also, the movement of trains is usually limited to one ram per day and one ram per night between Baghdad and Basra.
These limitations and the age of the Iraqi rail network indicate the need for its improvement and development. The creation of projects such as the high-speed rail line mentioned earlier can improve Iraq’s rail network and enable the transportation of passengers and goods in a wider and better way. By improving the rail network, Iraq will be able to more comprehensively use this strategic transportation infrastructure and be able to meet its economic and social needs.
Iraq’s desire to revive the plan to connect Baghdad to Berlin
According to Farhan Al-Fartosi, the progress of construction of Faw port and Iraq’s desire to revive the plan to connect Baghdad to Berlin show that the Iraqi government cares about the development and improvement of its international relations.
The revival of the project to connect Baghdad to Berlin, which means connecting Iraq to other countries and continents, can have a significant impact on Iraq’s trade, tourism, and cultural and social exchanges. The plan is likely to include improvements to transportation infrastructure, including the development of roads, railways, ports, and air and electronic communications.
Also, the completion of Faw Port also shows Iraq’s efforts to develop the ports and transportation sector in the Persian Gulf. Faw Port, as a major port in southern Iraq, can play an important role in facilitating international transportation and trade between Iraq and other countries.
According to the CEO of Iraqi Ports Company, it seems that the transfer of pilgrims from Iraq to Mecca in Saudi Arabia is part of the goals of the 17 billion dollar project that the Iraqi government has put on the agenda.
As it is known, the project of transportation and land connection of Iraq to Turkey, which has been discussed, has multiple objectives. In addition to the development of transportation of goods and passengers, the transfer of pilgrims from Iraq to Mecca is also included in the plans and goals of this project.
It can be said that this project allows Iraq to play a bigger role in Hajj and religious pilgrimage and transport pilgrims to their final destination, Mecca, more quickly and efficiently. This action can improve Hajj and pilgrimage services in Iraq and strengthen Iraq’s relations with Saudi Arabia.
The Prime Minister of Iraq also recently announced the planning of a $17 billion regional transportation project that aims to facilitate the flow of goods from Asia to Europe. The announcement of this news shows that as one of its main goals, the Iraqi government is pursuing significant plans for the development of transportation and land connection from Asia to Europe, and it shows its seriousness in developing transportation and improving regional communications.
In a one-day conference in Baghdad, the said announcement was presented by the Prime Minister of Iraq. Transport ministers and representatives from Iraq, Persian Gulf countries, Turkey, Iran, Syria and Jordan participated in this conference. This conference meeting was an opportunity for transport ministers and representatives of different countries to discuss their views and plans about the regional transport project and to discuss common solutions for the successful implementation of this project. This meeting can play an important role in facilitating international cooperation and realizing the goals of the project.
Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, revealed information about the planned project called “Development Path”. Accordingly, the project aims to facilitate the transportation of goods from the Persian Gulf to Europe through the large Faw port in Basra, in southern Iraq. For this purpose, a network of railways and highways will be created in this area, which will connect to Turkey and then through it to Europe.
The axes of the “Path of Development” project of Iraq
With the implementation of this project, Iraq will gradually build a strong transportation infrastructure to connect Asia and Europe by land. The purpose of this project is to facilitate and streamline the flow of goods and increase trade between the two regions. Also, this plan will create new economic opportunities and economic growth.
The main goal of this project is to increase the flow of goods from the Persian Gulf to Europe and facilitate trade and economic exchanges between Asia and Europe. This plan includes the use of railways and highways in Iraq and its purpose is to develop and improve the transportation infrastructure in this region.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister of Iraq has mentioned that one of the axes of the “Development Path” project is the development of Faw Grand Port in Basra. In addition, he mentioned the creation of a “smart industrial city” near this port.
Therefore, the development of Faw Grand Port is of great importance in international transportation, and increasing its capacity and improving its infrastructure can improve the flow of goods and trade. The creation of a smart industrial city near this port is also planned in order to attract investment, advanced industrial facilities, create job opportunities and develop various industries.
He further stated that the planned project includes the construction of about 1,200 kilometers of railways and highways. Referring to this project, Al-Sudani has described it as an “economic lifeline” and a “promising opportunity” for the convergence of interests, history and cultures between countries. He believes that this project can turn countries into sources for modern industries and goods.
He did not mention the financing of this project, but noted that Iraq will rely heavily on cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries.
These statements show that Iraq supports cooperation with other countries in financing its regional transportation project. Probably, Iraq intends to use the financial resources and investment of international partners, as well as the exploitation of domestic capacities to finance this project.
The North-South Transit Corridor of Iraq, whose contracts were officially signed and unveiled in recent days, is one of the plans of the Iraqis to become the main trade route in the region; Regardless of the fact that this corridor will make Iran’s roads less attractive than before.
It is planned that this transport route will be established using roads and rail lines from the port of Faw in southern Iraq to Turkey, and that Iraq will become a transit center for goods between Asia and Europe. Iraq’s main goal in this project is to create an alternative to the Suez Canal route, which is currently one of the most important intercontinental transportation routes. This action will be positioned as a faster and cheaper alternative way to transport goods in the region.
Conclusion
Iraq recently unveiled a $17 billion project that aims to connect Asia to Europe by land. This project, as a large transportation plan, will connect different regions of the country to a goods transit center between Asia and Europe by creating a rail and road line from Iraq to Turkey. In addition to transporting goods, this project also provides the possibility of transporting passengers at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour.
The unveiling of this project shows that Iraq shows its seriousness in developing transportation and improving international communications. Also, the plan to connect Baghdad to Berlin, which is one of the goals of this project, provides the possibility of connecting Iraq to other countries and improves the possibility of facilitating trade, tourism, and cultural and social exchanges.
The use of this transit corridor can lead to an increase in trade and transit of goods and services in the region. This project will not only allow Iraq to be recognized as an important trade and transit center in the region, but it can also create new business opportunities for other countries in the region and internationally.
As mentioned, the transfer of pilgrims from Iraq to Mecca in Saudi Arabia is also part of the goals of the 17 billion dollar project implemented by the Iraqi government. In addition to the development of passenger and goods transportation, this project has a special focus on Hajj and Pilgrimage affairs, and its goal is to create suitable facilities for the convenient and safe transportation of pilgrims from Iraq to Mecca. This action is part of the Iraqi government’s efforts to facilitate and improve the welfare of Iraqi pilgrims and improve Hajj and pilgrimage services.
About the impact of this corridor on Iran’s transit routes, this issue can create changes in the competition and commercial strategies of the region. Also, Iran, as one of the countries located in the region, can take advantage of the opportunities and benefits created by this corridor and help regional trade.
This transportation route should be extended by road and rail from Faw to Turkey and this country should become a transit center for goods between Asia and Europe. Iraq actually wants to create an alternative route to the Suez Canal with this action.
- Explanation: This note is a free take on the 17 billion dollar Iraqi transportation corridor project called “Development Path”, which was written independently after reviewing and researching the relevant news.
Production and preparation of notes: Sea News
News sources: Fars, Mehr and Tin News news agencies
Short link: https://seanews.ir/48013
