Development Road Project Targets 50 Billion Dollars in Revenue in 10 Years

According to a report prepared by SETA, the Development Road Project—planned to extend from Iraq's Grand Faw Port through Turkey to Europe—is projected to provide Turkey with 50 billion dollars in revenue over a 10-year period and create more than 60,000 jobs annually. The investment for the Turkish section of the project stands at around 24 billion dollars.

According to the report published by SETA, the Development Road Project aims to increase the trade volume between Turkey and Iraq, and reduce logistics and freight costs. Within the scope of the project, the line in Turkey is planned to reach approximately 2,100 kilometers, with the routes of Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Nusaybin, and Ovaköy integrated into the project. In addition, it is foreseen to build a 358-kilometer highway between Şanlıurfa and Ovaköy, a 127-kilometer railway between Nusaybin, Cizre, and Ovaköy, and in the medium term, a 120-kilometer new railway on the Gebze-Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge-Çatalca route.

The report also draws attention to the fact that Turkey's exports to Iraq have remained in the 3 billion dollar band over the last 10 years and that Turkish-plated vehicles cannot go beyond Kirkuk. With the activation of the Ovaköy connection and the harmonization of customs systems, Turkish trucks are expected to be able to make direct deliveries to all of Iraq and facilitate access to Gulf markets. It is evaluated that the integration will be strengthened by adding energy lines and telecommunication connections to the project.