Istanbul: The Trkiye-Kuwait and Germany-Jordan truck transport system launched Friday as part of the 'Global Transportation Corridors Forum' in Istanbul. Abdulkadir Uraloglu, the Turkish Transport and Infrastructure minister, stated at the forum that Trkiye will track trucks from Trkiye via road transport, marking the first leg of the Development Road Initiative. The route will extend through Iraq, reaching Kuwait before finally arriving in Jordan.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Development Road is a significant trade route project designed to link Iraq and Trkiye with railways, roads, ports, and cities. The 745-mile (1,200-kilometer) railway and highways will connect the Great Faw Port, poised to become the largest port in the Middle East. This initiative aligns with the creation of the Iraqi Silk Road, offering an alternative route to the Suez Canal for faster and more efficient trade.
Uraloglu mentioned that this launch marks the beginning of the initiative. "This is a trial run for the Development Road. We are undertaking the initial project to keep the corridors active. We will track the trucks leaving Trkiye," he explained.
Nasser Al Asadi, senior advisor to the Iraqi prime minister for transportation affairs, expressed support for the Development Road. "We support the Development Road in its entirety and congratulate Trkiye. This is the first step, and we are looking forward to the next steps," he noted.
Tatiana Molcean, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), highlighted the forum's success, emphasizing the removal of borders to create bridges. Umberto de Pretto, secretary general of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), stressed the system's importance for Iraqis, allowing their products to reach global markets swiftly and safely.
The transportation to Jordan is planned through Trkiye-Iraq routes. Since the Iraq transit route was closed in 2003 due to the war, transit transport through Iraq was not feasible until now. With Iraq's implementation of the truck system, the transit route has reopened, and three vehicles carrying cargo from Germany departed June 25, marking the first direct shipment to Kuwait after 22 years.
Additionally, with the Syrian transit route closed since 2011, direct land transport to Jordan was impossible. However, on June 27, a vehicle loaded with cargo in Germany will transport goods to Jordan via the Trkiye-Iraq routes, marking the first direct land transport to Jordan in 14 years.