During a meeting with a delegation from the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani underlined that the Kurdistan Region and all Iraqi components need to benefit from the Development Road project.

The Development Road project is a 1,200-kilometer strategic railway and highway project that aims to connect the Gulf countries, Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, Turkiye, and Europe through new transport corridors, roads, railways, and pipelines.

Furthermore, during the meeting, Prime Minister Barzani reaffirmed the importance of upholding Iraq’s federal and constitutional system, which guarantees the rights and responsibilities of all parties.

Read More: PM Barzani Stresses Kurdistan’s Inclusion in Development Road Project

However, Baghdad has attempted to exclude the Kurdistan Region from the project.

Therefore, Kurdish officials have continuously underlined the necessity of the Kurdistan Region’s inclusion in this project.

On March 29, KRG Minister of Transportation and Communications Ano Jawhar Abdoka denied reports that an agreement had been reached between Baghdad and the KRG on the project.

On March 22, Aziz Ahmad, Deputy Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Barzani, also posted on X that “any attempt to bypass or undermine the Kurdistan Region will fail.”