In a move that could boost trade and investment in the Kurdistan Region, Erbil province has inaugurated its first international border crossing with Turkey, the third of its kind between the two sides.

The crossing is located in Zet village on the Kurdistan Region’s side and Derecik, or Rubarok town, in the Kurdish-majority province of Hakkari on the Turkish side.

Hakkari Governor Idris Akbiyik, who attended the inauguration ceremony, expressed hope that the opening of the new crossing will usher in a new era of prosperity and success between both countries.

The Kurdistan Region’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign imports of food and consumer goods, paid for with oil wealth, and Turkey is a key trading partner. The trade volume between the two is more than five billion dollars every year.

However, the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing, the most well-known of Turkey's two official land border gates with the Kurdistan Region, is infamous for its long queues, which have discouraged tourists from taking the route.

The opening of this new crossing could alleviate some of that traffic and stimulate further economic growth.

The decision to open the crossing was made in 2013 between the Kurdish and Turkish governments, but the process was delayed due to the emergence of the Islamic State (ISIS) the following year. With the security situation now much improved, the two sides have moved forward with the project, which is expected to increase trade and investment opportunities in the region.