Barzani opens Zakho tunnel, promises more infrastructure projects
ZAKHO, Kurdistan Region – Resuming infrastructure projects in Duhok should improve the province’s economy as well as Kurdistan Region business ties with Turkey and Iraq, said officials announcing a road construction project at the opening ceremony for a new tunnel.
“The Kurdistan Regional Government has implemented various projects in this region, though we realize that these projects do not meet the needs of this region,” Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said, announcing the completion of a tunnel in Zakho district.
The new route will shave half an hour off the trip, according to the contractor.
The tunnel is equipped with modern lighting, air flow, and fire-fighting systems, explained Nihat Ozdemir, CEO of Limak Holding, a Turkish company that executed the project.
He believes it will decrease traffic accidents and boost trade ties between Turkey, the Kurdistan Region, and Iraq.
“We expect Turkey-Kurdish Regional Government trade ties will recover to prior levels and even improved,” Ozdemir said.
Turkey’s representative in Erbil, Consul General Hakan Karacay, hailed trade ties between the neighbours.
“We believe that the infrastructure work completed here will have a positive impact on flow of goods. This road is opening up to the entire country, to the rest of Iraq,” he said.
Turkey wants to increase its trade with Iraq now that the war with ISIS is largely over.
“Last year our trade volume was around $9 billion. We want this trade to be strengthened and made easier so we can increase this figure to a much higher level,” said Karacay.
The tunnel project was started in 2013, a year before ISIS raged through the north of Iraq. The conflict put the tunnel on hold temporarily.
The Kurdistan Region, overcoming its own economic hardship due to the war, low oil prices, and a budget dispute with Baghdad, is hoping to restart many stalled public projects.
At the event opening the tunnel, Barzani announced start of construction of the “important and strategic” Roviya-Gopal road.
The government has dedicated $80 million dollars for the 22 kilometre-long road that will have six overpasses. The road, running through farmland, will also have eight designated animal-crossings.
The road and the tunnel are “a start for the resumption of more projects for your area,” Barzani said.
Duhok has a lot of potential in areas like agriculture, tourism, and natural resources, and Barzani said his government has plans to develop these sectors.
“The Kurdistan Regional Government has implemented various projects in this region, though we realize that these projects do not meet the needs of this region,” Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said, announcing the completion of a tunnel in Zakho district.
The new route will shave half an hour off the trip, according to the contractor.
The tunnel is equipped with modern lighting, air flow, and fire-fighting systems, explained Nihat Ozdemir, CEO of Limak Holding, a Turkish company that executed the project.
He believes it will decrease traffic accidents and boost trade ties between Turkey, the Kurdistan Region, and Iraq.
“We expect Turkey-Kurdish Regional Government trade ties will recover to prior levels and even improved,” Ozdemir said.
Turkey’s representative in Erbil, Consul General Hakan Karacay, hailed trade ties between the neighbours.
“We believe that the infrastructure work completed here will have a positive impact on flow of goods. This road is opening up to the entire country, to the rest of Iraq,” he said.
Turkey wants to increase its trade with Iraq now that the war with ISIS is largely over.
“Last year our trade volume was around $9 billion. We want this trade to be strengthened and made easier so we can increase this figure to a much higher level,” said Karacay.
The tunnel project was started in 2013, a year before ISIS raged through the north of Iraq. The conflict put the tunnel on hold temporarily.
The Kurdistan Region, overcoming its own economic hardship due to the war, low oil prices, and a budget dispute with Baghdad, is hoping to restart many stalled public projects.
At the event opening the tunnel, Barzani announced start of construction of the “important and strategic” Roviya-Gopal road.
The government has dedicated $80 million dollars for the 22 kilometre-long road that will have six overpasses. The road, running through farmland, will also have eight designated animal-crossings.
The road and the tunnel are “a start for the resumption of more projects for your area,” Barzani said.
Duhok has a lot of potential in areas like agriculture, tourism, and natural resources, and Barzani said his government has plans to develop these sectors.