GCC ministers on the Development Road project will visit Iraq

 According to Prime Minister Mohammed Al Sudani on Wednesday, Iraq is getting ready to hold a meeting for regional transport ministers this month to examine opportunities for economic cooperation.

He stated that the visit to the Iraqi capital was to "discuss and implement a strategic development project" by the transport ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan.

The enormous Development Road project, which will stretch from southern Iraq to the Turkish border, is probably going to come up during the debate.

A "strategic road project that connects the port of Faw port in the south to the Turkish border and then to Europe" has been put into motion by Baghdad and Ankara, according to Mr. Al Sudani.

The government-run news agency in Iraq estimates that the project will cost around $17 billion.

The project has not been given a completion date.

The Prime Minister stated that the project's potential for regional and economic cooperation made the meeting with Gulf and regional leaders in Baghdad crucial.

The project entails the development of new roads and 1,200 kilometers of rail networks that extend from the currently under-construction Al Faw port on the Arabian Gulf in the Basra region.

The network will subsequently be linked to the European rail and road systems via Turkey. The proposal aspires to make Iraq a commercial "transit hub" between Asia and Europe via Turkey, according to the transport minister of Iraq, who made the statement in March.

The government has approved this vital initiative, and... The train and road would cross multiple Iraqi governorates before arriving at the Turkish border, according to a statement from Razzak Al Saadawi.

"It will give us access to the Turkish Port of Mersin, followed by Istanbul, and then Europe."

Another development is that Mr. Al Sudani will attend the historic Arab League conference on Friday in Saudi Arabia.

A "golden opportunity for the Arab League to lead the scene in the region," he added, calling the meeting.