Al-Sudani, Erdogan discuss security, trade and Gaza crisis in Ankara meeting

NEWSROOM — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Thursday in Ankara to follow up on wide-ranging agreements signed between their countries last year, addressing security cooperation, economic ties, and regional crises including the war in Gaza.

The leaders reiterated their commitment to implementing the terms of the strategic cooperation framework agreed during Erdogan’s April 2024 visit to Baghdad, which covered sectors including energy, infrastructure and counterterrorism.

“Both sides are keen on executing the outputs of the strategic cooperation framework agreements, which enhance the two countries’ capacity to confront shared challenges,” Al-Sudani said in a statement released by his office.

Al-Sudani emphasized the continued importance of bilateral coordination on issues such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, and terrorism, and praised what he described as “constructive cooperation” with Turkey.

He also highlighted the Development Road Project as a key part of Iraq’s economic strategy, calling it a critical regional corridor to expand trade and promote joint investment in industrial and agricultural zones. Al-Sudani noted the project’s potential to foster greater partnership between Iraqi and Turkish private sectors.

The leaders also discussed regional developments, with both condemning the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza and calling for an immediate withdrawal of occupying forces and the facilitation of humanitarian aid. On Syria, they reaffirmed support for a political solution and stressed the need to preserve the country’s stability, sovereignty and ethnic diversity while opposing foreign interference.

The Ankara visit follows Erdogan’s landmark trip to Baghdad in April 2024, which was seen as a major step toward restoring and expanding bilateral ties after years of strained relations.