By John Lee.
Iraq has proposed three strategic initiatives to strengthen transport continuity, trade flows, and supply chains across the Arab region, presented at the third virtual meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on 2nd September 2026.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the initiatives were put forward by Ali Ahmad al-Baroudi, Executive Secretary of the National Committee for the Facilitation of Transport and Trade in the ESCWA region, acting under the direction of Transport Minister Wahab Salman Mohammed, who chairs the committee.
The three initiatives are:
- Support for the Development Road project as a strategic corridor linking the Arabian Gulf to Europe via Iraq and Turkey, to provide an important trade and transport route and enhance supply chain sustainability in the Arab region.
- A shared Arab digital platform for the real-time exchange of transport and logistics data, including truck and cargo movements, border crossing data, road and port status, operational restrictions, and logistics performance indicators, with the aim of reducing transit times and improving trade efficiency.
- An Arab regional early warning centre for supply chain continuity, tasked with analysing geopolitical and natural risks, assessing their impact on trade corridors, proposing alternative routes, and issuing alerts and periodic reports to decision-makers on potential disruptions or closures.
Al-Baroudi said the initiatives reflect efforts to enhance Arab countries' ability to anticipate and manage transport and trade crises, diversify trade routes, and ensure supply chain continuity, with the Development Road identified as a key corridor that could give Iraq a central role in transport between the Arab region and Europe.
(Source: Ministry of Transport)
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