For decades, relations between Iraq and Türkiye have often been viewed through the prism of issues requiring careful management -- security, water, trade, and border crossings. Today, however, our region stands before a different opportunity, one that calls on us to look to the future with greater ambition. The question is no longer how we manage our shared challenges, but how we transform them into opportunities that generate prosperity for our two peoples.
The Iraq from which I travel to the Turkish capital Ankara today is not the Iraq the region knew only a few years ago. It has chosen the path of stability, reform, and development. It has reordered its national priorities around building a strong economy, an effective state, and a balanced foreign policy that places regional cooperation at the heart of sustainable growth rather than treating it as merely a political choice.
The same can be said of Türkiye, with its advanced industrial base, strategic location, and extensive expertise in infrastructure, energy, and transportation. When we look at the combined potential of our two countries, we see far more than a shared border -- we see the foundations of one of the region’s most significant economic partnerships.
As the world redraws the map of global trade and supply chains, economic corridors have become a defining feature of international competition. In this evolving landscape, Iraq and Türkiye have a historic opportunity to transform their geographic position into economic value, serving as a vital bridge linking the Gulf, Asia, and Europe.
It is in this context that the Development Road Project assumes such strategic importance. We do not regard it simply as an Iraqi project, but as a regional initiative that has the potential to redefine economic connectivity across the Middle East. Beyond reducing the time required to move goods, the project will create new cities, industrial zones, investment opportunities, and thousands of jobs, while providing the region with a new economic artery connecting ports to global markets.
No strategic partnership can flourish without a stable and secure environment. Iraq firmly believes that the security of both nations requires close cooperation founded on mutual respect for sovereignty and a shared commitment to combating terrorism and organized crime. Development can only thrive where security prevails.
Water, too, is no longer merely a technical issue; it has become a developmental imperative that will shape the future of millions of citizens. We therefore look forward to a cooperative approach built on mutual interests, scientific collaboration, and investment in modern technologies to strengthen water and food security for our peoples.
Today, the Middle East needs new success stories. Iraq and Türkiye have the capacity to write one of the region’s most compelling chapters if they can move beyond traditional cooperation towards genuine integration. Every joint investment, every new factory, every transport link, and every energy project will be an investment not only in our bilateral relationship but also in the stability of the wider region.
We believe that lasting stability is not achieved through conflict, but through shared projects. It is not forged by competition among neighbors, but by integration among them. The more successful we are in building this model, the closer we will all come to a Middle East that is more stable, more prosperous, and better prepared for the future.
*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu.
