SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Ankara on Thursday to enhance bilateral relations, with discussions focusing on security cooperation, the Development Road Project, and the resumption of oil and gas exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline. The leaders also signed 10 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) across key sectors, including defense industries and Interior Ministry training cooperation.
Prime Minister Sudani’s visit to Ankara was marked by an official reception at the Presidential Complex, where President Erdogan welcomed him for high-level strategic meetings. The leaders’ discussions emphasized the shared security concerns between Iraq and Turkey, particularly regarding the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region.
“We have never viewed the peace and stability of Iraq as separate from our own, and we never will,” President Erdogan stated, echoing Prime Minister Sudani’s sentiment that the security of both nations is interconnected and indivisible. Turkish President Erdogan reaffirmed his country’s commitment to combating the PKK, FETO, and ISIS, which he described as threats to the national security of both countries.
Erdogan also stressed the importance of quickly resuming oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, stating, “We want to move forward quickly on issues related to the resumption of oil pumping through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline.”
A key focus of the visit was the Development Road Project, a major infrastructure initiative aimed at fostering regional integration and economic growth. President Erdogan underscored the project’s potential to significantly contribute to the stability and prosperity of both Iraq and the wider region. He invited other countries to participate in the strategic initiative and highlighted the concrete steps taken during the meeting to move the project forward.
For his part, Prime Minister Sudani described the Development Road Project as a crucial opportunity for Iraq to strengthen its economic ties with Turkey and the broader region. He announced that Iraq is in the process of establishing an independent authority to oversee the project, streamline procedures, and attract investment.
During this visit, Prime Minister Sudani emphasized the importance of implementing agreements signed in April 2024 during President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, which laid the foundation for deeper cooperation between the two nations.
In addition to the high-level discussions, the two leaders oversaw the signing of 10 memoranda of understanding between Iraq and Turkey. The agreements covered diverse areas including migration, voluntary return of Iraqis, judicial cooperation, higher education, disaster and emergency response, Interior Ministry training, defense industries, and scientific research, according to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office.