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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region’s Erbil province is set to inaugurate its first international border crossing with Turkey over the next two months.
Construction works are currently underway in Zet village on the Kurdistan Region’s side and Derecik, or Rubarok town, in the Kurdish majority province of Hakkari on the Turkish side.
Heavy construction equipment is being used to build the border crossings' customs offices.
"Constructions on our border side have all finished. As soon as jobs are finished on your side [the Kurdistan Region] we will be ready to start opening it. We await for the cabins [logistical essentials] to be placed on the other side of the border, so the tourism traffic can start," Akram Gardi, Mayor of Rubarok town, told Rudaw’s Bakhtyar Qadir on Wednesday.
Erbil province's only official international crossing is that of Haji Omran connecting Iran with the Region, one of the key border points between the two sides.
Currently, Turkey’s only official land border gate with the Kurdistan Region is at Ibrahim Khalil in Duhok province near Zakho and Turkey’s Sirnak.
The decision to open the crossing was officially made in mid-August 2018 between the Kurdish and Turkish governments.
"We will initially open a basic camp for any office needed to be opened for tourism traffic at the crossings. The crossing will be opened as soon as possible, in less than two months,” Ghafur Ahmed, Mayor of Mergasor, said.
The Kurdistan Region relies on neighboring Turkey for the lion’s share of its trade and investment. Like Iraq to the south, the economy is weighted heavily in favor of foreign imports of food and consumer goods, paid for with oil wealth.
Trade volume between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey is over five billion dollars every year in the worst-case scenarios.
Construction works are currently underway in Zet village on the Kurdistan Region’s side and Derecik, or Rubarok town, in the Kurdish majority province of Hakkari on the Turkish side.
Heavy construction equipment is being used to build the border crossings' customs offices.
"Constructions on our border side have all finished. As soon as jobs are finished on your side [the Kurdistan Region] we will be ready to start opening it. We await for the cabins [logistical essentials] to be placed on the other side of the border, so the tourism traffic can start," Akram Gardi, Mayor of Rubarok town, told Rudaw’s Bakhtyar Qadir on Wednesday.
Erbil province's only official international crossing is that of Haji Omran connecting Iran with the Region, one of the key border points between the two sides.
Currently, Turkey’s only official land border gate with the Kurdistan Region is at Ibrahim Khalil in Duhok province near Zakho and Turkey’s Sirnak.
The decision to open the crossing was officially made in mid-August 2018 between the Kurdish and Turkish governments.
"We will initially open a basic camp for any office needed to be opened for tourism traffic at the crossings. The crossing will be opened as soon as possible, in less than two months,” Ghafur Ahmed, Mayor of Mergasor, said.
The Kurdistan Region relies on neighboring Turkey for the lion’s share of its trade and investment. Like Iraq to the south, the economy is weighted heavily in favor of foreign imports of food and consumer goods, paid for with oil wealth.
Trade volume between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey is over five billion dollars every year in the worst-case scenarios.
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