Erdogan arrives in Baghdad: Turkiye-Iraq strategic engagement renewed

Shafaq News / On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Baghdad on his first visit in 13 years, since his last visit as Prime Minister in March 2011.

Erdogan is accompanied by his Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, Trade Minister Omar Polat, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdul Qadir Uraloglu, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alp Arslan Bayraktar, and Industry and Technology Minister, Mehmet Fatih Kacar.

Also accompanying President Erdogan are the Head of the Presidential Communications Directorate Fahrettin Altun, and the President's Advisor for Foreign Policy and Security Akif Cagatay Kilic.

During his one-day visit, Erdogan is scheduled to hold meetings with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid, and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in the capital Baghdad.

Erdogan is expected to hold a press conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister, followed by the signing of a series of bilateral agreements between the two countries.

Yesterday, Minister Hakan Fidan outlined the preparations for Erdogan's visit, indicating that "more than 20 agreements are set to be signed, focusing on the strategic framework agreement that is poised to serve as a comprehensive roadmap for enhancing cooperation across various sectors between Turkiye and Iraq."

Fidan expressed Turkiye's commitment to strengthening collaboration with Iraq, particularly in counterterrorism efforts "to ensure regional security and stability," expressing confidence that the relations between Iraq and Turkiye would "set a positive example" for the broader region.

According to the Foreign Minister, both sides would reach security, energy, agriculture, water, health, and education agreements.

After concluding his meetings in the capital Baghdad, President Erdogan, along with his delegation, will head to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, to meet with the Kurdish leaders there.

The visit comes amid a broad strategic rapprochement between Iraq and Turkiye following a series of high-level security meetings, involving the Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministers, heads of intelligence agencies, and other officials from Turkiye and Iraq, held on March 13th in Baghdad.