“Iraqi Silk Road” will strengthen Turkey’s position in energy sector

Thanks to the Iraq Development project, a new route of supply and natural gas supply to world markets through Turkey will appear, which will also strengthen Ankara’s position in the international energy market.

The project, including the highway and the railway from the south of Iraq to the border of Turkey, is also designed to contribute to the development of the non -and -based spheres of the Iraq economy.

with the first stage of the project – the port of Great Fav, Iraq seeks to reduce the travel time between Asia and Europe through Turkey and establish itself as a transit country.

The project of the “Development Way”, which is defined as the “Silk Road of Iraq”, is aimed at accelerating and increasing the efficiency of trade by creating a route that can compete with the Suez Canal. For the construction of a highway and railways, the project will require $ 17 billion.

The project consists of three stages, each of which is planned to be completed in 2028, 2033 and 2050,

Director of the Research Platform of the Middle East, Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region (ODAP) Ali Semin, in an interview with Anadolu, noted that Great Fav was taken to the agenda by the Iraqi government in 2005, but the project was not started due to the project economic crisis and security problems in the country.

According to Semin, this project will reduce the dependence of the national income of Iraq on oil by 40-60 percent. “This project will become an alternative to Iraq, the budget of which is extremely dependent on oil,” he said.

According to the director of the platform, Russia has lost its status of a reliable energy supplier with the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and European players revise strategies to meet their energy needs.

This project will contribute to the economy of Turkey and its competitiveness in the energy market.

“When the Ukrainian-Russian war began, there was a serious discussion on how to deliver the Qatari liquefied natural gas to Europe. After completing the construction of the Great Fav port, the transportation of Qatarian gas to Europe through Iraq will become possible along a shorter and economical route. Port Great Port. FAV will also increase the export potential of Turkey in the field of energy. Turkey will bring Iraq energy to world markets and play an active role in energy trading. The project for the construction of a road and railway transport corridor, which extends from Basra to the border with Turkey, will help increase the competitiveness of Turkey in the energy sector, ”said Semin.