Shafaq News- Baghdad
Hours before his scheduled visit to Ankara, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi said Iraq and Turkiye have a "historic opportunity" to build one of the Middle East's most significant economic partnerships.
In an article published by Turkiye's Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, Al-Zaidi said the two countries could transform their shared geography into a strategic economic corridor linking the Gulf, Asia, and Europe.
He described the $17 billion Development Road as a regional project that extends beyond Iraq, saying the 1,200-kilometer corridor connecting Grand Al-Faw Port with Turkiye through railways and highways would accelerate trade, create new cities and industrial zones, attract investment, generate thousands of jobs, and provide the region with “a new economic artery linking ports to global markets.”
Al-Zaidi also stressed the need for closer security cooperation to combat terrorism and organized crime while respecting each other's sovereignty.
On water resources, the PM expressed hope for joint management based on mutual interests, scientific cooperation, and investment in modern technologies to strengthen water and food security in both countries.
A government source previously told Shafaq News that Al-Zaidi is scheduled to hold talks in Ankara on Tuesday covering security, economic and investment cooperation, oil and energy coordination, efforts to expand bilateral trade, and regional and international developments.
نتوجه اليوم في زيارة رسمية إلى الجمهورية التركية، تلبية لدعوة من سيادة الرئيس رجب طيب أردوغان، لتعزيز العلاقات السياسية والاقتصادية بين البلدين.نرتبط مع تركيا بجوار تاريخي وجغرافي وحضاري، ومصالح مشتركة ومتنوعة، وستحضر خلال زيارتنا ملفات الاستثمار والمياه وطريق التنمية، وجهود…
— علي فالح الزيدي (@AliFalihAlzaidy) July 28, 2026