Iraq gears up to invite bids for US$ 17 bn trade corridor

Iraq is preparing to invite bids from international companies by late 2025 for its US$ 17 billion ‘Development Road’ project, aimed at transforming the country into a trade and logistics hub linking the Gulf to Europe. The mega multimodal corridor will include a 1,200-km railway and parallel motorway linking southern Iraq to the Turkish border, enabling faster cargo movement across 11 governorates. Backed by partners from the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey, the project will be supported by the upcoming Faw Port, poised to become the largest container terminals. Designed to integrate 15 industrial and economic zones, the the road project is likely to streamline freight movement to and from Europe, reducing dependency on maritime routes and enhancing Iraq’s link through land-based logistics.