ISTANBUL
The Türkiye-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, said at the forum that Türkiye will track trucks from Türkiye via road transport, which will form the first leg of the Development Road Initiative, and reach Iraq, then Kuwait before reaching Jordan.
The Development Road is an important trade route project linking Iraq and Türkiye with railways, roads, ports and cities.
The 745-mile (1,200-kilometer) railway and highways will connect the Great Faw Port, to be the largest port in the Middle East.
With the Iraqi Silk Road, an alternative route to the Suez Canal is being created to facilitate faster and more efficient trade.
Uraloglu noted that Türkiye has made a start. “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 Türkiye,” he said.
Nasser Al Asadi, senior advisor to the Iraqi prime minister for transportation affairs, stated that the countries want to bring the West and the East together on their territory. “We support the Development Road in its entirety and congratulate Türkiye. This is the first step, and we are looking forward to the next steps.”
Tatiana Molcean, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said it was a successful day for the forum, adding that they would remove borders and turn them into bridges.
Umberto de Pretto, secretary general of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), emphasized that the system is very important for Iraqis, and the products they produce will reach global markets quickly and safely.
Transportation to Jordan to be carried out via Türkiye-Iraq routes
Since the Iraq transit route was closed to transit transport in 2003 due to the war, transit transport through Iraq was not possible.
With Iraq's implementation of the truck system, the transit route has been reopened, and three vehicles carrying cargo from Germany departed June 25, marking the first direct shipment to Kuwait after 22 years.
Since the Syrian transit route has been closed since 2011, direct land transport to Jordan has not been possible.
On June 27, a vehicle loaded with cargo in Germany will transport goods to Jordan via the Türkiye-Iraq routes; it will mark the first direct land transport to Jordan in 14 years.
