Talks continue between Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—signatories of a quadripartite memorandum in 2024—on the progress of the Iraq Development Road (IDR) project. This ambitious plan presents a strategic opportunity to establish a vital logistics corridor between East and West, with projected investments amounting to $17 billion. The IDR aims to connect the Grand Port of Al-Faw, set to become one of the world’s top ten largest ports, with Faysh Khabur on the Iraq-Turkey border. From there, the corridor integrates with Turkey’s railway and road networks, providing direct access to the Mediterranean Sea via the Port of Mersin and subsequently to Europe.
Turkey, with an allocation of $19.9 billion, is committed to completing 2,094 km of railway lines and an additional 331 km of roads.
The IDR also aims to strengthen economic ties between Iraq and Gulf countries. The UAE, through Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, is investing in the development of gas fields in southern Iraq. Meanwhile, Qatar has acquired a 25% stake in the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP) and is investing $7 billion in real estate and tourism development in Baghdad. This growing cooperation highlights Iraq’s increasing integration into the Gulf’s economic system.
A key milestone of the project was determining the optimal route. Despite alternative proposals, a feasibility study by BTP Infrastrutture S.p.A. confirmed the western Tigris route as the most viable option. This route overcomes territorial complexities and avoids strategic delays, although it excludes some northern areas of Iraq.
With the final route established, the focus now shifts to the implementation phase. BTP will advise Iraq Republic Railways (IRR) in launching tendering procedures in the first half of 2025. According to current estimates, the tenders—worth approximately $20 billion in total—are expected to be divided into 20 lots, each with a minimum value of $400 million. To ensure transparency and competitiveness, IRR is expected to use a dedicated online portal, attracting international companies with strong technical and financial expertise.
The Iraq Development Road is more than just an infrastructure project—it is a platform for economic and political cooperation between Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, and the UAE, with benefits extending across the entire region.
