Turkey announced on Sunday a US$14 billion regional development plan that aims to reduce the economic gap between its mainly Kurdish southeast region and the rest of the country.
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The announcement comes amid increased hopes for an end to a decades-long insurgency waged by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in southeast Turkey as well as the advent of new leadership in neighbouring Syria with cordial ties to Ankara.
The eastern and southeastern provinces of Turkey have long lagged behind other regions of the country in most economic indicators including gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, partly as a result of the insurgency.
Turkish Industry Minister Fatih Kacir told reporters in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa that the government would spend a total 496.2 billion lira (US$14.15 billion) on 198 projects across the region in the period to 2028.
“With the implementation of the projects, we anticipate an additional 49,000 lira -[US$1,400] increase in annual income per capita in the region,” he added.
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According to 2023 data, the per capita income of Sanliurfa stood at US$4,971, well below the national average of US$13,243.
