Iraq seeks to raise trade exchange with Turkey to $30 billion

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Trade Minister Mustafa al-Ani confirmed on Tuesday that the government plans to increase trade exchange with Turkey to $30 billion. Al-Ani’s remarks followed his meeting with Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on the sidelines of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s official visit to Turkey, according to a statement cited by the state-run news agency (INA). During the meeting, the two sides confirmed their commitment to strengthening Iraq-Turkey trade and economic relations, broadening the scope of cooperation, and boosting joint investments to transform the two countries’ strategic partnership into tangible economic results serving their common interests.

The meeting focused on strategies to increase bilateral commerce to $30 billion, initiatives to support the Development Road project, and approaches to enhance transportation and customs cooperation. The two sides also discussed the ongoing preparations for the third meeting of the Iraqi-Turkish Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO III) in the fourth quarter of this year, which will strengthen the economic partnership and open up new avenues for trade and investment cooperation. Bolat said earlier that Turkish exports to Iraq hit $8.7 billion in the first nine months of 2025, while trade between the two countries was almost $12 billion.

Turkish enterprises have undertaken 1,145 projects in Iraq, totaling $36.6 billion. This amount represents approximately 6.7 percent of their entire global project portfolio, positioning Iraq as the third-largest market for Turkish contractors worldwide. The post Iraq seeks to raise trade exchange with Turkey to $30 billion appeared first on Iraqi News.