Development Road Project to pass through Kurdistan Region
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Transportation and Communication, Ano Jawhar, and the Director General of Iraqi Railways, Youssef al-Kaabi, confirmed that the Development Road Project will traverse the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
"On the recommendation of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, we met with the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation and the Italian private railway company," said Jawhar.
This meeting was also conducted in collaboration with the office of Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
The proposal for the Development Road Project by the KRG’s Ministry of Transportation and Communication, which involves the construction by the Italian Railway company, has been approved.
"This development road project is an international railway and highway road which will pass through the east of the Tigris River to the Nineveh Plain, then to Semel and Derabun to reach the Iraqi-Turkish border," underscored Minister Jawhar.
"The Kurdistan Regional Government's proposal makes the development road through the Kurdistan Region more than 32 kilometers shorter, making it less expensive and safer," he highlighted.
Youssef al-Kaabi emphasized that the consultative parties will review the project seriously. He explained that the Development Road Project has been approved to stretch from the al-Faw port all the way to Mosul, covering 1200 kilometers, and then from the north of Mosul to the Kurdistan Region and the Turkey-Iraq border.
He highlighted that the project's commencement is imminent.
"We want to connect the Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk with the national grid and railway," al-Kaabi said.
He added that 22 million tons of goods are transported annually, especially in oil and gas production areas.
Since Iraq is at the center of global trade now, this comprehensive project involves all of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government.
"We all have a hand in the success of this project," he concluded.