Baghdad: The head of the Border Ports Authority, Lieutenant General Omar Adnan Al-Waeli, has put forward a proposal for a trilateral meeting aimed at unifying the organization of goods transit between Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. This initiative underscores the strategic importance of enhancing regional connectivity and trade.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, Al-Waeli expressed readiness to allocate transit lanes within the border crossings in accordance with international standards during a meeting with a high-level delegation from Turkey. The delegation was led by Burak Akan, Director General for EU Affairs and Foreign Relations at the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. The discussions focused on the activation of the Development Road project, a key element of the agreement signed during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi’s recent visit to Turkey, which aims to improve transport and trade between Iraq, Turkey, and other regional countries.
The meeting explored mechanisms to ease the movement of goods and transit trucks through Iraqi border crossings. It also examined the potential designation of the Rabia, Al-Walid, and Al-Qaim crossings as primary corridors within the transport network connecting Turkey and Europe to the Middle East and the Gulf countries via Iraq. Al-Waeli emphasized the Authority’s commitment to facilitating the smooth flow of goods, which will bolster Iraq’s position as a regional logistics hub and a critical link between Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and the Gulf states through land transport.
The Turkish delegation conveyed its willingness to increase the number of transit trucks crossing Iraqi territory to one million annually, alongside providing the necessary facilities to support this increase. The statement also highlighted ongoing Turkish-Saudi understandings aimed at enhancing transit through Iraq, which will stimulate trade and support the national economy.
In a related development, Al-Waeli visited the Rabia border crossing in Nineveh Governorate to evaluate operations and review progress on expanding trade exchange areas. He discussed strategies for facilitating the entry and flow of goods from Syria and Turkey through the crossing. Moreover, Al-Waeli proposed a trilateral meeting between Iraq, Syria, and Turkey to establish a unified mechanism for regulating goods passage and standardizing transit procedures, thus advancing regional trade and shared economic interests.