Baghdad: The Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced today that the World Bank has approved a loan of $930 million, which will be allocated towards the country's existing railway network and modernize its associated infrastructure and technical systems. The initiative is part of a comprehensive government plan to develop the transport sector and transform Iraq into a regional and international logistics hub.

According to Qatar News Agency, an Iraqi Ministry of Transport official said in a press briefing that the ongoing railway linkage plan includes connecting existing rail lines to the southern ports of Grand Al-Faw and Umm Qasr, and extending them northward to Turkiye. He added that this was a part of the Development Road project, which represents the first phase of Iraq's strategic linkage initiative with Europe.