Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that a critical stage has been reached in the Development Road Project and that the Quadruple Ministers' Summit, within the framework of the Quadruple Memorandum signed with Türkiye, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, will be held on August 29 at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that work is progressing rapidly on the Development Road Project, which is being established between Türkiye and Iraq.
Minister Uraloğlu recalled that during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Iraq on April 22, 2024, a Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Türkiye, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates within the scope of the Development Road Project. He announced, "Following this memorandum of understanding, we are moving to a very important phase and will hold the first Quadruple Ministers' Summit for the Development Road at the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul on August 29 at 2:00 PM."
Minister Uraloğlu mentioned that, as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding, the summit will cover all the details of the Development Road Project, and important decisions will be made. He emphasized that the project will significantly contribute to Türkiye's economic growth and regional development, saying, "The Development Road will also support the sustainability of global trade by diversifying international trade corridors. By establishing a reliable and efficient trade corridor between Asia and Europe, Türkiye will strengthen its economic and strategic advantages."
Uraloğlu highlighted that goods arriving in Türkiye via the Development Road could move in all directions—east, west, north, and south—through Türkiye's transportation network and ports. He continued, "Thanks to this corridor, we will integrate more strongly into the global logistics system. Additionally, we will be able to offer transporters brand new options for freight transportation. We believe that the Development Road can also connect existing transportation corridors and further increase their efficiency."
Minister Uraloğlu explained that work on the Development Road, which begins at Iraq's Faw Port and enters Türkiye through Ovaköy, is progressing rapidly within Türkiye. "The section of the Development Road passing through our country spans approximately 1,592 kilometers between Kapıkule and Şanlıurfa. We plan to complete the road segment in Türkiye by constructing a new 331-kilometer highway between Şanlıurfa and Ovaköy, which will serve the route between Şanlıurfa and the Iraq border," he said.
Uraloğlu also pointed out that the railway segment of the Development Road is progressing quickly, noting, "We are constructing a new double-track, electrified, and signaled high-speed train line between Halkalı and Kapıkule, spanning a total of 229 kilometers, capable of carrying both freight and passengers. We aim to complete the 153-kilometer Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section by the end of 2025. With the completion of the Halkalı-Kapıkule project, we intend to reduce the travel time between Halkalı and Kapıkule from 4 hours to 1.5 hours and increase the current line capacity by fourfold. We have also completed the project planning for the railway that will cross the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. We want to carry out the relevant processes swiftly."
