Turkey to open largest commercial bridge with Kurdistan region

At a time when the issue of holding a referendum in the Kurdistan region, and the possibility of closing the border crossings with the region, it is scheduled to open soon a commercial bridge between Kurdistan region and Turkey. Last week, he Turkish consul in Erbil visited the bridge project and demanded to be completed and opened soon. The Director of Hebron Customs, Ibrahim Al-Khalil, confirmed that the bridge will be opened in less than two months.

Ibrahim Khalil border-crossing is one of the most important border crossings between Turkey and Kurdistan region. Many are wondering about the possibility of Turkey to close the port through which several trucks loaded with Turkish goods are crossing daily to the Kurdistan region, following the referendum scheduled on 25 September.

Firsat Mohammed Ali, manager of Ibrahim Khalil border-crossing, said that constructing the bridge has been ongoing for a year now, adding that It will officially be opened in less than two months.

Regarding the importance of the bridge for both sides, Ali explained there were only two one-way bridges connecting the Kurdistan Region to Turkey but "this bridge is two-way and 30 meters wide. It will become the biggest trade bridge on Ibrahim Khalil, help boosting trade ties between Kurdistan and Turkey."

Ali said Erbil and Ankara are equally covering the expenses, indicating the Turkish Consul General in Erbil urged work to accelerate as it is nears completion in a visit to the construction site last week.

The head of Duhok Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ayad Hassan, who accompanied the Turkish Consul General on his visit to the site of the construction of the bridge, recalled a conversation between the two about the importance of the bridge and speculation on the deterioration of bilateral relations in the wake of the Kurdistan Region’s September 25 referendum.

Hassan stressed that this bridge will have a lot of trade importance. When we were in Zakho, I asked the Turkish consul ‘Why have you spent this much on this bridge? Because it is said that due to referendum Turkey will close the border."

Hassan added it is impossible for Turkey to shut its borders on the Region. "Tens of Turkish companies are now present in South Kurdistan, in addition to tens of factories and companies in Gazientep, 100 percent of whose goods are imported into South Kurdistan," he said. He added Mosul is another reason prompting Turkey to continue its trade exchange, because the Turks want to have a hand in rebuilding the city.