Iraq-Turkiye Forum opens in al-Sulaymaniyah despite airspace ban

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Iraqi-Turkish Economic Forum opened in al-Sulaymaniyah province, Kurdistan Region, with broad participation from Iraqi and Turkish companies, marking a push to strengthen trade ties despite Turkiye’s airspace ban on al-Sulaymaniyah Airport.

The ban, imposed in April 2023, stems from Turkish claims that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated a terrorist group by Ankara, operates freely in the area with political cover from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the dominant party in the province. Turkish authorities continue to classify Al-Sulaymaniyah airspace as a “security risk” and have offered no timeline for lifting the restriction.

Forum coordinator Hassan Rahim told Shafaq News the gathering has two main objectives: demonstrating that the airspace ban does not halt trade and urging Turkish authorities to reconsider the restriction. “The airport is civilian and unrelated to military or political agendas."

Initial sessions addressed the commercial disruptions caused by the closure and explored mitigation strategies. Subsequent meetings brought together firms from al-Sulaymaniyah, other areas of the Kurdistan Region, and Turkiye to negotiate potential trade agreements.

“This event signals a firm commitment to protect economic channels from political friction,” Rahim affirmed.