Zaidi and Erdogan discuss oil, water and Development Road in call

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed oil exports, water resources and the strategic Development Road project in a phone call Monday, with Erdogan renewing an invitation for Zaidi to visit Ankara at the end of July.

Zaidi’s office said the two reviewed bilateral relations and ways to expand cooperation. The talks focused on resuming and developing Iraqi oil exports through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline and improving mechanisms for exporting to European markets. Iraq is seeking to expand flows through the pipeline after Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government agreed in March to resume shipments through the Kurdistan Region’s line to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, allowing oil from both Kirkuk fields and the region to be exported with revenues going to the federal treasury. The route gained renewed importance as Iraq sought alternatives to southern terminals and the Strait of Hormuz during regional disruptions.

The two also discussed water, stressing the importance of continued dialogue to reach understandings serving both countries. Water remains one of the most sensitive issues between Baghdad and Ankara, since the Tigris and Euphrates, which provide most of Iraq’s freshwater, originate in Turkey. Iraqi officials have repeatedly warned the country receives only a fraction of its historical share due to upstream dams, drought and climate pressures, and have sought larger, more predictable releases.

The leaders reviewed plans for agreements in the gas and agriculture sectors and reaffirmed the Development Road project as a strategic initiative to boost trade connectivity between Iraq, Turkey and the wider region, agreeing on the need to advance it. Erdogan renewed his invitation for Zaidi to visit Ankara at the end of July, particularly to discuss launching the project’s implementation. Zaidi invited Turkish companies to invest in Iraq, emphasizing the private sector’s role in strengthening ties.

The Development Road is a planned trade corridor linking Iraq’s Grand Faw Port on the Gulf to Turkey through roughly 1,200 kilometers of railways and highways. Backed by Iraq, Turkey, Qatar and the UAE, it aims to make Iraq a transit hub connecting Asia and Europe, cut shipping times and generate investment and jobs along the route.