Development Road project to bring in $55B boost to Turkish economy

ANKARA

The multinational Development Road project is projected to boost the Turkish economy by approximately $55 billion over the next decade while creating around 70,000 jobs annually.

Türkiye's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the strategic trade corridor will stretch about 1,200 kilometers (745.65 miles) from Iraq’s Grand Faw Port through Türkiye and into Europe.

Speaking on the sidelines of an iftar event in Ankara, the minister said the infrastructure initiative will establish a major production and logistics center, generating about 70,000 new jobs annually with backing from Iraq, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Türkiye.

The new route will integrate into the existing Middle Corridor to streamline Asia-Europe rail transit times, further solidifying Türkiye’s position as a global logistics hub connecting some 67 countries within a four-hour flight radius.

Efforts are also underway to upgrade the standards along the Middle Corridor, while the ministry aims for the corridor to connect to ports in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Uraloglu said construction has officially begun on the Zangezur Corridor, with 224 kilometers (131.19 miles) launched by a domestic firm.

He noted that while Azerbaijan has completed a significant section of the corridor on its side, no active construction is currently underway along the route.

Once complete, it will serve as a direct gateway to Turkic nations and the Asia-Pacific region. The corridor is expected to be completed within five years of its active construction.

Uraloglu stated that there are active negotiations ongoing between Türkiye and Syria to rebuild destroyed sections of the historic Hejaz railway linking Damascus to Jordan.

Strait of Hormuz situation: stranded vessels, aircraft

The minister said about 14 Turkish commercial vessels are currently stranded outside of the Strait of Hormuz, while one ship was granted passage after using an Iranian port.

The remaining fleet is waiting alongside around 800 other international vessels.

Türkiye has suspended or rerouted commercial flights across the region amid escalating military conflict in the Middle East.

Two commercial aircraft belonging to flag-carrier Turkish Airlines and Pegasus are grounded in Iran, alongside a third plane stuck in Iraq, but all flight crews have been evacuated, with aircraft retrieval negotiations pending.

Amid social media ban for under-15s debate, Türkiye’s 5G network to broadcast on April 1

Uraloglu said the government has submitted a proposal to the Turkish Grand National Assembly to ban social media access for users under the age of 15.

He said the restriction plan is modeled on similar measures currently being tested in the US, France, and Australia.

Türkiye is expanding its aerospace footprint following the deployment of the homegrown Turksat 6A satellite, which provides services to around 5.5 billion people across eight countries.

The satellite is expected to operate for 25 years, while initial development of the next-generation Turksat 7A orbital system has begun.

Uraloglu said that Türkiye’s national 5G network will officially transmit its first signal on April 1.

Some 32 million of the country’s 95 million active mobile phones are already 5G-compatible, marking a jump from 15 million a year ago.

He added that once the transition is completed nationwide within the next two years, 5G infrastructure will revolutionize remote medical surgeries, automated construction, and smart city management.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim