Iraq Seeks Swift Implementation of Land Transport Agreements with Jordan and Egypt

Baghdad accelerates transport agreements

Iraqi Transport Minister Wahab al-Hasani stated that Baghdad is striving for the rapid implementation of land transport agreements with Jordan and Egypt. According to him, a number of agreements exist in this field between the three countries, and he hopes they will 'enter into force in the near future.' The statement was made on the sidelines of the 39th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport, held at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, as reported by the Iraqi state news agency INA, which is cited by Anadolu.

Memorandum with Egypt and the significance of the forum

As noted by the Egyptian State Information Service, the transport ministries of Iraq and Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding on land transport of passengers and cargo within the framework of bilateral cooperation agreements. Al-Hasani emphasized the importance of the meeting of Arab transport ministers under current regional and international circumstances and expressed hope that its decisions will soon yield tangible results.

The Development Road project

Separately, the minister described the Development Road project as 'strategic' — a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) corridor from Basra to the Turkish border, which, according to him, is at the center of attention for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The project aims to connect the Grand Faw port in southern Iraq with Turkey via road and rail, facilitating the transport of goods between Gulf countries and Europe. The foundation for its implementation is a four-party memorandum of understanding signed on April 22, 2024, in Baghdad by Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE.