Shafaq News/ Turkey and Iraq are planning to collaborate on a new transportation project called the "Development Road" or the "New Silk Road," which will connect the two countries through a 1,200-kilometer-long network of railways, motorways, and pipelines, from Iraq's Basra's Faw Port to Turkey's Mersin Port.

The project is expected to cost $20 billion and aims to provide an alternative trade route between Asia and Europe, as well as connecting Gulf countries, Jordan, and Iran to Europe.

According to an op-ed by Daily Sabah, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani have tasked their respective ministers to work on the project. The railway route alone is expected to transport 3.5 million tons of goods in the first phase and 7.5 million tons in the second phase.

However, there are several challenges that the project faces, including security threats from anti-Ankara organizations and militants that operate in Iraq, according to the op-ed.

One potential solution, the op-ed said, is for the Iraqi government to award the project to foreign companies whose governments can provide security for the project. Another suggestion is to give a stake in the project to the constructor(s) or build it with the build-operate-transfer method. The revenue to be generated from the construction is significant, and many governments are likely to welcome such provisions.

Despite these challenges, the Development Road project is seen as a critical step for Iraq's future. The project aims to boost the Iraqi economy by providing a new way to connect the East and West, as well as Gulf countries, Jordan, and Iran to Europe. However, the security of the transportation is a significant concern, as groups such as Daesh and PKK are likely to conduct attacks on the road.

To ensure the successful implementation of the project, Iraq needs to establish good security and commercial allies, the op-ed concluded, stressing that a group of great and middle powers can help ensure the materialization of the Development Road and other projects.