President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan left for Iraq on Monday morning in a historic visit. For citizens of Iraq, from the capital Baghdad to Irbil in the north governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the visit is a sign of momentum in Turkish-Iraqi ties and a future of development in a formerly war-torn country.
Erdoğan’s visit focuses on the improvement of relations, both in terms of economic cooperation and development, and the fight against terrorism, two outstanding issues for a country recovering from years of conflict and a campaign of violence by terrorist groups.
Salim Jafaar, a resident of Baghdad told Anadolu Agency (AA) ahead of Erdoğan’s arrival that the visit was a reflection of growing ties between two neighboring countries. Jafaar expressed hope that their ties would flourish, especially in trade and economy. Jafaar noted that Turkish products draw huge interest in Iraqi markets and this was a sign of growing ties. Jafaar also said that Türkiye has always been a safe and stable country for Iraqis who are among frequent travelers to the northern neighbor. Iraqis also top the list of foreigners with work and residence permits in Türkiye, according to official figures.
Abdullah Mahmoud, another Iraqi from Baghdad, said he believed Erdoğan’s visit would be a productive step for both countries. He mentioned that Türkiye was a favorable destination for Iraqis and believed that the visit would help Iraq’s development. “We hope it will bring more Turkish companies to Iraq,” he added. Muhammad al-Basrawi said his expectation from the visit was an increase in Turkish imports.
Up north, Iraqis in KRG-controlled areas are also hopeful for the outcome of Erdoğan’s visit. Ali Suhail, a resident of Kirkuk, said the country needs progress in reconstruction and development, and with the visit, a new era may begin. Suhail said Iraq also needs to cooperate to fight against terrorism. Suhail hailed the Republic of Türkiye’s stand with Iraqis in all fields and hoped that Turkish companies would contribute to the development and rebuilding of Kirkuk. Muayyad Abdelaziz, another Kirkuk resident, said Erdoğan’s visit was of utmost significance and it would have an impact on the entire region as well. He said the security and stability of both countries were important and they expected significant deals to be signed between the two countries during the Turkish president’s visit.
Sirvan Necim, who lives in KRG seat Irbil, said the United States and Russia would watch the visit as Erdoğan had influence on regional countries. Necim said he was looking forward to increasing economic ties between Türkiye and the KRG. “Erdoğan’s visit is more significant as it comes at a time of dangerous developments in the region (Israel’s attacks on Gaza and tensions between Israel and Iran),” he added. Necim also expressed hope that the visit may pave the way for oil exports between Iraq and Türkiye.
Dr. Imad Edvar of Irbil said Türkiye had a clout with countries in the region and had “cards in hand.”
“Türkiye has an important geostrategic position and Erdoğan’s visit comes at a sensitive time period for the region,” Edvar told AA.
