ANKARA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Development Road Project, a flagship infrastructure project aimed at strengthening trade links between the Gulf and Europe, is expected to contribute about 55 billion U.S. dollars to the Turkish economy over the next 10 years, the Turkish semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Monday.
At a meeting held in Ankara, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said that the Middle Corridor is one of the most important pillars of the vision for diversifying global transportation networks.
He added that the Development Road Project, which complements the east-west corridor with a north-south axis, would provide a strategic alternative and reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.
He also emphasized that the project is expected to reintegrate the Middle East's fragmented geoeconomic landscape, turn Iraq into a regional trade hub and strengthen Türkiye's position in global connectivity networks.
The Development Road Project aims to connect a major commodities port on Iraq's southern coast to the border with Türkiye and then extend into Europe through railways and highways. ■
