Yusuf Aslan
Turkey and Iraq are launching a joint project that will have an impact far beyond their borders, reaching the region and even the world. This is the Turkey-Iraq Development Road Project.
The project starts at the Grand Faw Port in Iraq’s Basra Gulf, a port nearing completion, and will extend 1,200 kilometers to integrate with Turkey’s transportation network. Experts see it as a game changer for the region. It will connect land, rail, and sea routes from the Basra Gulf to the Bosphorus, Turkey’s Mediterranean and Black Sea ports, and further to Europe. This means not just Iraq and Turkey but all countries linked to this network will have major economic opportunities.
A project of this scale and complexity does not come together overnight. With an estimated cost of $17 billion, it will be completed in phases, gradually becoming part of the existing transportation system.
Security and stability are key to making a long-term, high-cost project like this a success. In a country like Iraq, which has struggled with foreign interventions, internal conflicts, terrorism, and political instability for decades, these challenges are even more significant. While they are obstacles, they also highlight why the project is so necessary.
For Iraq’s neighbors, especially Turkey, and the wider region, ongoing instability and violence have caused lasting damage. A major investment like the Development Road Project, which promises to benefit everyone, could help break this cycle.
Once completed, the project will provide a fast, secure, and cost-effective transport link between the Grand Faw Port and Turkey’s major ports such as Mersin, İskenderun, Istanbul, and Samsun. From there, it will connect to global trade routes stretching to South Asia via the Basra Gulf and to Europe through the Black Sea and Mediterranean. This new trade corridor will boost economic activity, raising living standards for all involved. And as prosperity grows, so will the demand for stability and order, helping shift the region away from its long-standing struggles.
For Iraq, this project could be a turning point. If Iraq is to rid itself of terrorism and violence, eliminate PKK elements near Turkey’s borders, end the insecurity caused by sectarian and ethnic divisions, and overcome poverty despite its vast oil and gas resources, it needs to be part of the global economy in a safe and structured way. The Development Road will help Iraq achieve that by diversifying its economy and strengthening its trade links.
Turkey, on the other hand, has spent decades dealing with security and economic problems linked to Iraq. The Development Road Project offers a new path—one that allows Turkey to turn economic integration into an advantage. Already deeply connected to Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Africa, and even North and South America, Turkey will now add the Middle East and Gulf markets to its existing trade network. In the medium and long term, the economic gains could be far greater than expected. Even if the only result were to remove the threat of terrorism from Iraq, the project would still be worth it.
Turkey’s finance and construction industries, which have long proven their capabilities, will play a major role in designing, building, and operating this new route. The profits generated by these sectors will help cover the project’s costs, reducing financial concerns.
The project’s impact will go beyond Iraq and Turkey. Countries recovering from conflict, such as Syria and Lebanon, could benefit from the increased trade. Gulf states like Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman will also have new opportunities to reach global markets.
Some regional powers, like Saudi Arabia and Iran, may initially see this project as a challenge to their influence. However, in the long run, the stability and economic growth it brings will likely encourage them to take part. The Development Road, along with future infrastructure projects in the region, could become an economic powerhouse far beyond what is currently imagined.
The biggest challenge now is ensuring that this project moves forward without outside interference. If it succeeds, it could lay the foundation for a more stable and prosperous future in a region that has endured too much conflict for too long.