Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during an official visit to Ankara on July 28. The visit, which will be the third stop on his foreign tour since taking office, is critical for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Jumaili, a researcher at the Nahrain Center, wrote in an analysis for AA Analiz that the talks will also address a common stance on regional developments, in addition to economic cooperation, security, energy, and water issues.
Water and security files
Water and security, which form the backbone of bilateral relations, are among the most critical topics of this visit. The Baghdad administration plans for the Water Framework Agreement, signed on July 25, 2026, to enter into force by September, and expects concrete steps from Ankara toward implementation. Al-Jumaili noted that tensions rise during periods of increased drought and water scarcity in Iraq, and stressed that implementing the agreement would greatly contribute to the country's water security.
In the security field, progress in recent years is notable. The Iraqi National Security Council's designation of the PKK as a banned organization in March 2024 and court decisions to close parties linked to the group were crowned by the Military, Security Cooperation and Counter-Terrorism Memorandum of Understanding signed in Ankara in August 2024. The memorandum envisages the establishment of a joint security coordination center and deep cooperation in counter-terrorism.
Development Road Project and economic dimension
One of the most concrete agenda items of the visit is the Development Road Project. The project, which is envisioned to connect the Persian Gulf to Europe via Iraq and Turkey, has the potential to create one of the shortest trade routes between Asia and Europe. It is reported that during his meeting with Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu in Baghdad last week, al-Zaydi called for a clear financing mechanism and for field work to begin on a specific timeline.
While the trade volume between the two countries currently stands at $17 billion, the medium-term target is to raise it to $30 billion. The Strategic Framework Agreement, signed during President Erdoğan's visit to Baghdad in April 2024 and covering more than 26 agreements, forms the basis for achieving this goal.
Regional crisis and oil exports
Al-Zaydi's Ankara visit comes at a time when Iraq has suffered up to 80 percent losses in oil exports following US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. As Baghdad seeks alternative routes to reduce dependence on southern export terminals, it is noted that an Iraqi oil delegation held preliminary contacts in Turkey ahead of the visit to find a joint formula for delivering oil to world markets via Turkish ports.
Al-Jumaili states that all these issues are of a nature that will shape the common destiny of the two countries, and that cooperation is inevitable for establishing stability and peace in the region.
