Türkiye highlights transport connectivity, investment cooperation with Belgium

Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu on Monday highlighted the importance of stronger transport connectivity and alternative trade routes during talks on expanding economic cooperation between Türkiye and Belgium.

Speaking at a high-level economic panel in Istanbul attended by Belgium's Queen Mathilde and a Belgian delegation, Uraloğlu said the two countries should deepen cooperation and increase mutual investments in sectors including trade, transport, technology and defense.

He highlighted the need to boost connectivity and develop alternative routes to facilitate global trade amid growing geopolitical and supply chain risks.

Uraloğlu said Türkiye serves as a central hub, providing access within a four-hour flight radius to 67 countries with a combined gross domestic product of $1.5 trillion.

He stressed the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor, a trade route linking Asia and Europe through Türkiye, pointing to the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the Marmaray undersea rail tunnel as key components of the route.

He also detailed the Development Road Project, a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) highway and rail corridor involving the UAE, Qatar, Türkiye and Iraq. The project, which starts from Iraq's Grand Faw Port, could be completed within five to six years and provide a vital alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, he said.

He also announced that the government plans to invest around $8 billion in a new railway line on the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge to help address capacity issues in Istanbul.

Addressing environmental goals, Uraloğlu noted that maritime transport accounts for more than 80% of global trade, but said expanding rail networks offers a more practical way to reduce emissions in the short term.

He added that he reached an agreement with Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele to further develop bilateral relations in the maritime and rail sectors.