4 days ago
Iraq advances Phase 1 of Development Road project with Al-Faw–Fishkhabour Railway
Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani on Monday chaired a meeting of the committee overseeing the rehabilitation of the Al-Faw–Fishkhabour railway, a key element of the first phase of Iraq's strategic Development Road Project.
Attended by the Minister of Planning, senior advisers, and representatives from relevant ministries, the meeting reviewed detailed route maps of the multi-modal mega project, including the route of the Iraqi Republic Railways (IRR), to ensure smooth and flexible operations, an official statement by the Prime Minister's office said.
Discussions also covered financing of the first section of the road component of Development Road in next year's federal budget.
Anchored in the south by the Grand Faw Port, the Development Road's early works include five berths, a 62 km access road, a submerged tunnel, and a container yard, all scheduled for completion by late 2025.
Al-Sudani also directed the Ministry of Transportation to complete all technical and administrative procedures to move forward with implementation of Al-Faw–Fishkhabour railway rehabilitation.
Additionally, the committee expressed its appreciation to the World Bank for supporting Iraq's broader railway modernisation programme tied to the Development Road project.
In June 2025, the World Bank approved $930 million for the Iraq Railways Extension and Modernisation (IREM) Project, which will upgrade 1,047 kilometres of existing lines linking southern Iraq to Mosul in the North via Baghdad.
The IREM Project will span eight governorates, address the ageing fleet of locomotives and rolling stock, refurbish the Baiji maintenance workshop, and procure essential equipment and spare parts. It also aims to encourage private capital participation in developing dry ports and logistics hubs.
The Development Road's 1,200 km freight and passenger corridor will link the Grand Faw Port in Basra to Turkey and onward to Europe by rail and road. It aims to cut transit times between Asia and Europe, boost Iraq's transit revenues, and spur industrial and urban growth along its route.
In April last year, Iraq, Turkey, Qatar and UAE signed an agreement to cooperate on the mega project.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
(
