Baghdad, Iraq — Turkey’s Minister of Trade, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, has affirmed that Turkey is ready to play a leading role in Iraq’s reconstruction, supported by the extensive experience of Turkish contractors who have completed projects worth $36.6 billion across the country.
Speaking in Baghdad at the Iraq General Trade and Contracting Delegation Meeting—organized by the Turkish Ministry of Trade in cooperation with the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and the Turkish Contractors Association (TMB)—Minister Bolat highlighted Turkey’s strong commitment to supporting Iraq’s rebuilding process through active involvement in infrastructure and development projects, including the Development Road Project.
Bolat noted that bilateral trade between Turkey and Iraq reached $17.5 billion in 2024, making Turkey Iraq’s leading supplier and its third-largest contracting partner. Turkish firms have undertaken 1,145 projects valued at $36.6 billion in Iraq to date.
He reiterated that Turkey is fully committed to contributing to the Development Road Project, which will connect Iraq to Europe through Turkey, adding that the two countries are determined to “build a new development story based on shared history and mutual prosperity.”
New Economic Agreements Signed Under JETCO Framework
During the second-term meeting of the Turkey-Iraq Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), Minister Bolat and his Iraqi counterpart, Etir Dawood Salman Al-Ghreyri, signed the Second-Term Protocol and a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the exhibition and trade fair sector.
These agreements aim to deepen collaboration in key areas such as trade facilitation, investment climate improvement, and joint logistics and infrastructure projects. The new trade fair cooperation framework will enhance business engagement between the two nations through joint exhibitions and promotional events.
Minister Bolat said the agreements reflect the “strong political and economic will” of both sides to reach the medium-term goal of $30 billion in bilateral trade.
Baghdad Turkish Export Products Fair Showcases Expanding Economic Confidence
As part of his visit, Minister Bolat and Minister Al-Ghreyri jointly inaugurated the Baghdad Turkish Export Products Fair, featuring 27 Turkish companies representing key industries such as construction, food, textiles, and defense.
The event showcased Turkey’s high-tech and value-added production capacity, underlining the private sector’s growing confidence in Iraq’s economic recovery. Bolat emphasized that the fair is an important step toward achieving the $30 billion trade target, while also strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
During the exhibition, both ministers toured company stands and received detailed briefings on the firms’ ongoing operations and investment plans in Iraq.
A Foundation for Regional Prosperity
Minister Bolat concluded his visit by reaffirming Turkey’s long-term commitment to Iraq’s reconstruction and economic stability, saying that “Turkey’s production and export strength will remain a pillar of prosperity and stability in the region.”
