Türkiye’s Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir announced that ₺496 billion ($14.11 billion) will be allocated to the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) Action Plan by 2028, aiming to create over 570,000 jobs in the region.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the initiative, Minister Kacir stated that the region will benefit from the irrigation of 475,000 hectares of land by 2028.
“Our goal is to achieve a $1,605 increase in value-added income from dry farming, raising the share of the GAP region in Türkiye’s agricultural gross value added to 19% and the value of crop production to 21.5%,” he noted.
The “GAP Action Plan Information and Consultation Meeting” was hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Technology in Sanliurfa, with Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Isikhan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli, and Minister of Trade Omer Bolat in attendance.
During his address, Kacir emphasized Türkiye’s inclusive journey toward becoming a modern civilization, ensuring all regions contribute to this progress.
He underscored that the Southeastern Anatolia Region is securing its rightful place in this development trajectory.
Key achievements of Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP)
- New organized industrial zones: Established 20 new zones across nine provinces, creating over 360,000 additional jobs.
- Investment incentive system: Supported 15,400 investments with a total value of ₺1.1 trillion between 2003-2024, generating employment for 710,000 people.
- Specific employment contributions: Investments completed this year created 10,242 jobs in Diyarbakir, 9,922 in Sanliurfa, 10,228 in Mardin and 9,929 in Batman.
Programs and projects driving development
- Attraction Center Support Program: Allocated ₺3.2 billion for 43 projects in Mardin, Diyarbakir, and Sanliurfa.
- Shoe manufacturers’ industrial zone in Sanliurfa: Transformed Sanliurfa into a production hub for footwear, increasing employment from 11 workers in 2013 to over 4,400 today.
- Working and Producing Youth Program: Built 80 factory buildings across seven provinces, employing over 3,700 young people and women with a budget of ₺1.1 billion.
Agricultural, economic initiatives
- Small-scale agricultural irrigation program: Irrigated 318,000 decares of land, with plans to expand by an additional 52,500 decares in 2024, creating 49,000 jobs.
- Smart agriculture investments: Introduced initiatives focusing on sustainable development and resource efficiency with a ₺214 billion budget.
Promoting technological and cultural growth
- Regional innovation investments: Established six technoparks, 19 R&D centers, and a design center to drive innovation.
- Cultural heritage and tourism development: Launched a ₺19 billion “Tourism-Oriented Economic Growth Program” to enhance cultural sites and green projects.
- Future vision for GAP Region by 2028: The plan envisions expanding irrigated farmland, supporting 50 new cooperatives, and implementing three social impact bonds.
- Strategic economic partnerships: The Development Road Project with Iraq aims to boost trade and economic activities from the GAP region to Kapikule.
- Expected economic impact: The initiative is projected to increase per capita annual income in the region by ₺49,000.
Exports in the Southeastern Region increased 20-fold
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz emphasized the continuous development of the GAP region, noting significant strides in energy investments and public projects. He stated, “The region’s exports increased 20 fold from $689 million in 2002 to $13.7 billion in 2023.”
Yilmaz stated that the number of universities in the region, which was three in 2002, had risen to 12. Noting that the healthcare infrastructure had been significantly strengthened, Yilmaz stated that the number of hospitals increased from 66 to 134.
Yilmaz also pointed out that the region’s share in national exports rose from 1.9% to 5.3%, while workforce participation nearly doubled from 1.3 million in 2004 to 2.4 million in 2023.
What is the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP)?
The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) is Türkiye’s largest and most successful regional development initiative, recognized internationally for its integrated approach to regional and sustainable human development.
Covering nine provinces in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin and Upper Mesopotamia, the project represents 10.7% of Türkiye’s geography and population.
GAP aims to improve income levels, quality of life, and employment opportunities in the region, reduce regional disparities, and contribute to national economic growth and social stability.
Initially conceived in the 1970s as a water and land resource development program, it includes plans for 22 dams, 19 hydraulic power plants, and irrigation for 1.8 million hectares, with a total energy production capacity of 27 billion kilowatt-hours annually.
