ISTANBUL

The transport ministers of Türkiye, Syria, and Jordan have agreed to revive the Hejaz Railway, marking a historic step in regional transportation.

"The historic Hejaz Railway is being revived," the Turkish transport and infrastructure minister announced on Tuesday.

"We reached an agreement on a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that includes multifaceted cooperation in the field of transportation between the three countries," Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

He emphasized that the 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of missing superstructure on the Hejaz Railway in Syria will be completed with Türkiye's assistance.

He noted that the Jordanian side will explore technical capabilities for the maintenance, repair, and operation of locomotives in Syria.

Joint technical studies will be conducted to strengthen Türkiye's Red Sea connection via the Port of Aqaba, the minister underlined.

Road transport between Türkiye and Jordan via Syria will resume after a 13-year hiatus, he added.

He said: "While preserving our region's historical heritage, we are also establishing strong cooperation in international transport corridors.

"We will continue to work towards a shared future in transportation... "

The approximately 1,750-kilometer Hejaz Railway was built by Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II to connect Istanbul, Mecca, Medina, Yemen, and Damascus.

It began operating in 1908. The railway, which contributed to the region's development, was built for religious, military, and political purposes.