PM Barzani hails ‘Kurdistani companies’ as he inaugurates new strategic highway
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday praised the Kurdistani construction companies for executing strategic projects across the region during a ceremony in which the premier inaugurated a new strategic highway, connecting Erbil and Duhok province.
In a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in Duhok province’s Ruvya sub-district, Prime Minster Barzani along with his deputy Qubad Talabani and relevant ministers and local authorities inaugurated the strategic 22-kilometer-long highway, named Gopal-Ruvya, which connects Erbil and Duhok.
The project was undertaken by a Kurdish construction company, dubbed Kavin Group, that utilized nearly 2,000 workers and 950 equipment in the project, according to information obtained by Kurdistan 24.
“What makes me happy the most is that many projects are executed by Kurdistani [local] companies,” Prime Minister Barzani expressed his joy, as “Kurdistani capacity, engineering, and the area’s tools” were utilized in these projects that will create “more job opportunities for our people and youths.”
Several strategic projects in the Kurdistan Region, namely Erbil’s 120-meter highway, were executed by a local company. In July, the foundation stone of a 100-meter highway was laid by the KRG in Sulaimani province, which will be constructed by Qaiwan group, a local company.
Prime Minister Barzani recently laid the foundation stone of a USD nine million bridge in the Kurdistan Region’s Ranya city, which is also planned to be undertaken by a local company.
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The newly inaugurated Gopal-Ruvya road is one section in a 61-kilometer-long highway project, connecting Erbil and Duhok province, whose foundation stone was laid in 2019 by KRG.
The first section, linking Erbil province with the Gopal sub-district, is 38 kilometers long. A 928-meter-long bridge on Great Zab is under construction to connect the project’s two sections, Kurdistan 24’s Economic Desk previously reported.
Duhok province is bordered with Turkey via the Ibrahim Khalil (Habur in Turkish) border crossing, in which economic activities are estimated to be in the billions of US dollars as it is the only trade gate into Iraq.
“This road does not only serve as a traffic way for people, but it also facilitates trade activities,” Prime Minister Barzani said as he revealed that more projects would be announced to connect the Kurdistan Region’s provinces with each other.
The highway could also reduce road accidents that usually result in scores of causalities and injuries among passengers and drivers.
Prime Minister Barzani mentioned that despite all the economic and health crises the Kurdistan Region is facing, his cabinet is consistent in serving the residents via building strategic infrastructure projects.
The KRG allocated $277 million for the whole project.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany