Turkiye fuels Mosul's revival with investments and trade links

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi city of Mosul, which shares deep historical and cultural ties with Turkiye, is poised to become a vital hub for regional and international trade, Serhad Varli, Turkiye’s Consul General in Mosul stated, citing Turkish investments.

Anadolu Agency Varli emphasized that the Development Road Project—a transport corridor linking Iraq to Asia and Europe via Turkiye—alongside Turkish investments, will generate job opportunities in Mosul. “Mosul holds a special place for Turkiye, and one of Ankara’s top priorities is to advance the city’s development and improve living standards,” he added.

Among the key projects driving growth is the construction of Mosul International Airport by Turkish companies, set for completion in the first half of 2025, which is designed to handle 2 million passengers annually and will connect Mosul to Istanbul, in addition to a 600-bed hospital, one of Iraq’s largest, which is under construction and expected to open within the next few years.

Plans for organized industrial zones in Mosul and Tal Afar have also been set following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Iraq in 2024, and these zones are expected to create significant job opportunities for locals, where unemployment rates near 30% according to Iraqi government data.

Varli highlighted his office’s efforts to bring more Turkish businesses to Mosul, citing Nineveh Governor Abdul Qadir Al-Dakhil’s visit to Turkiye late last year, where he met Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz and leaders of Turkish institutions, including TİKA (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency), the Maarif Foundation, and Yunus Emre Institute.

“Turkiye has always stood by Mosul during its toughest times, and the people of Mosul have not forgotten this,” Varli said, reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to supporting all Iraqi communities, adding that Turkish institutions like TİKA—active in Iraq for years—will expand operations in Mosul and Tal Afar.

In April 2024, Turkiye, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE signed a quadrilateral memorandum of understanding in Baghdad to advance the Development Road Project, overseen by Turkish President Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, with completion targeted by 2030.