Recently, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport has received heavy news that a transportation development project costing up to 17 billion US dollars has officially surfaced. This project focuses on the construction of highways and high-speed railways, aiming to create a strategically significant transportation artery that runs through the Middle East and injects new vitality into regional economic development.

It is reported that the core of this project is to develop highways and equip them with high-speed railways. The railway lines will run parallel to the highways, forming an efficient and coordinated transportation network. The route is planned to start operation in 2031, and its significance is extraordinary, with the potential to become a transportation hub comparable to the Suez Canal. The total length of the line is 1200 kilometers. The north end of the line connects with Meslin in northern Türkiye, and the south end arrives at the port of Faw on the Persian Gulf (near Basra). It passes through several important regions in Iraq, which will greatly promote regional trade and personnel flow.

The project plan will be implemented in stages, with the first phase focusing on connecting the port of Fa'u and the Iraqi capital Baghdad, laying the foundation for comprehensive connectivity in the future. In terms of project preparation, it is expected that the first batch of contract bidding work will begin by the end of 2025, which undoubtedly brings huge business opportunities to global construction enterprises. The main contractors in Türkiye and Egypt have shown great interest and are expected to actively participate in the bidding, providing strong guarantee for the smooth implementation of the project with their rich engineering experience and expertise.

From the management perspective, the project is jointly managed by the governments of Türkiye and Iraq, giving full play to the advantages of the two countries in resource integration, technical exchanges and other aspects. It is worth mentioning that the governments of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have also joined as additional partners, and the four country cooperation model has brought together more funds, technology, and wisdom, adding multiple guarantees to the success of the project.

The implementation of this transportation project has a profound impact on Iraq and even the entire Middle East region. It can not only improve local transportation infrastructure, enhance logistics efficiency, and reduce trade costs, but also promote regional economic integration and strengthen economic ties and cooperation among countries. At the same time, the promotion of the project will also create a large number of employment opportunities, drive the development of related industries, and make positive contributions to regional social stability and improvement of people's livelihoods. Looking ahead, this transportation artery is expected to become a new landmark in the Middle East, leading the regional economy towards a new stage of development.Editor/Cheng Liting