Türkiye, Iraq Ink 26 Agreements, Mous During President Erdogan's Visit To Baghdad

Türkiye and Iraq signed a total of 26 agreements and memoranda of understanding during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit to the neighboring country's capital Baghdad, according to the Communications Directorate in Ankara.

Erdogan on Monday visited Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, on Monday on his first visit to Iraq in 13 years. He held talks on bilateral relations, counter-terrorism, and regional issues with Iraqi officials, including Israel's ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip.

In total, 26 deals were signed between the two countries after a meeting between Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during the visit.

These included a framework agreement on cooperation in the field of water policy and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the strategic framework, inked by Erdogan and al-Sudani, the Communications Directorate said in a statement Monday.

An MoU on cooperation between Türkiye's Centre for Strategic Research of the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Services Institute of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also among the documents initialed.

Another MoU was signed between Türkiye's Foreign Economic Relations Board and the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce.

Türkiye's Directorate of State Archives signed a separate MoU with the National Library and Archive of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities.

An MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Islamic Affairs between the top Turkish religious body, known as Diyanet, and the Sunni Endowment Diwan of Iraq was also signed.

Further, the countries signed an MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Media and Communications, as well as another on Strategic Cooperation in the Field of Defense Industries and a separate one in the fields of employment and social security.

Officials from the countries also signed an MoU on cooperation between Türkiye's Family and Social Services Ministry and Iraq's Labor and Social Affairs Ministry.

Separate MoUs on cooperation in the fields of education, tourism, and energy were also signed, along with an MoU on Security Cooperation and an MoU on Military Training Cooperation.

Also, officials signed an MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medical Sciences.

Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Iraqi counterpart Thabet Muhammad Saeed Al Abbasi also signed a Protocol on Training and Cooperation in the Field of Military Health.

Türkiye's Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir and Haider Mohammad Makiya, chairman of Iraq's National Investment Commission, signed an agreement on mutual promotion and protection of investments between the two countries.

Kacir also inked an MoU for cooperation in the fields of youth and sports with Iraqi Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Mohammed Al-Mubarqa.

An MoU between the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development Organization of Türkiye's Industry and Technology Ministry and the General Directorate of Industrial Development of the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals was likewise initialed.

Furthermore, an MoU on Cooperation in the Fields of Science, Technology and Innovation was signed between the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye and the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Türkiye-Iraq Agriculture Working Group 2024-2025 action plan

Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli and Iraq's Minister of Agriculture Abbas Jabr Al-Ali Al-Maliki signed a 2024-2025 action plan for a working group on agriculture between the two countries.

The two nations signed an MoU on the establishment of a Joint Economic and Trade Committee between their trade ministries.

Also, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning Muhammad Ali Tamim signed a protocol establishing a consultation and cooperation mechanism in the fields of product safety and technical trade barriers.

Another MoU on cooperation for the judicial training of students and deputy judges and prosecutors was additionally inked between the Justice Academy of Türkiye and the Institute of Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq.

Finally, the countries signed an MoU was signed on the Development Road Project between the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Türkiye and the Ministry of Transport of Iraq. -