The Prime Minister’s Advisor for Transport Affairs, Nasser Al-Asadi, announced on Wednesday that Iraq’s entry into the TIR Agreement has reduced the shipping time between Turkey and the UAE from 18 days to a week. He emphasized that the Development Road Project is a major engineering and economic blow to those skeptical of its success.
Al-Asadi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The transit time from the Turkish city of Mersin to the UAE used to be 18 days, but after Iraq’s entry into the TIR Agreement, it has become a week.” He explained that “Iraq has shortened the distance, resulting in increased traffic and a benefit to traders.”
He added, “This protects goods from maritime disasters,” noting that “Oliver Wyman is the strategic economic consultant for the Development Road Project, and it developed the basic idea through the technical presentation and economic vision of the Iraqi government.”
He stated, “There were many objectors to the development road project, with some demanding clear information on whether this project is real or beneficial, the nature of its feasibility, and its differences with the Chinese Silk Road.” He explained that “the project provides real figures proving that it is Iraqi and has high economic feasibility, as evidenced by the increased transport activity at the Faw Port and the increased transport activity by land, in addition to the economic activity in the region, which is increasing day by day.”
He explained, “We are now moving in a different direction, which is correcting the information we previously announced at the start of the project two years ago, to provide more comprehensive information, as what is currently being provided is higher than what was previously proposed.” He noted that “this process is encouraging and allows us to say that the project is real and has high economic feasibility.”
He stated that “the steps taken so far in the initial operational process of the project are a strong engineering and economic blow to those who doubt the success of this project.”
The Minister of Transport, Razzaq Muhaibis Al-Saadawi, previously announced the launch of the TIR system to facilitate international transport movement, noting that it is one of the most successful customs systems and is applied in more than 70 countries.
The TIR Convention is the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under TIR Carnets, which simplifies and harmonizes international administrative procedures for road transport. The Convention establishes an international customs transit system that provides maximum facilities for the transport of goods.
