Türkiye expects trade with Iraq to rise to $30 billion
Turkish Trade Minister Omar Polat revealed on Friday that trade with Iraq will rise to $30 billion in the medium term, against the backdrop of the “rapid expansion” of economic relations between the two countries.
Polat said in a statement carried by the Turkish Anadolu Agency that “the volume of trade between Turkey and Iraq will reach $20 billion in the short term, and $30 billion in the medium term.”
This was in response to a visit he made to Baghdad on Thursday, where he met with his Iraqi counterpart, Minister of Trade Atheer Al-Ghurairi, and they held the second meeting of the Iraqi-Turkish Economic and Trade Committee, which aims to develop relations between the two countries.
He noted that he led a delegation of more than 100 Turkish businessmen on a visit to Baghdad, which included a delegation of 19 companies in different sectors, in addition to a delegation of Turkish contracting companies that held intensive meetings with their Iraqi counterparts.
Polat participated in the opening of the Turkish Export Products Exhibition in Baghdad, which was organized with the support and coordination of the Ministry of Trade and under the supervision of the General Secretariat of the Mediterranean Exporters’ Associations in Türkiye.
During the visit, Bolat met with his Iraqi counterpart, Atheer Dawood Salman Al-Ghurairi, and discussed with him ways to facilitate trade exchange and improve the investment environment, as the second phase of the protocol of the joint economic and trade cooperation committee between the two countries was signed.
The protocol stipulated taking concrete steps to enhance cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, logistics, and infrastructure, in addition to signing a cooperation agreement in the field of exhibitions to increase coordination in organizing joint economic events.
Polat also participated in a roundtable meeting between Turkish contracting companies and Iraqi bodies concerned with projects, and new opportunities were discussed to implement high value-added projects and increase the share of Turkish companies in the Iraqi market.
Polat noted that Turkish exports to Iraq amounted to $8.7 billion during the first nine months of 2025, while the total volume of bilateral trade reached about $12 billion during the same period.
He added that Turkish companies have implemented 1,145 projects in Iraq (he did not specify when) with a total value of $36.6 billion, which is equivalent to about 6.7% of the total projects they have implemented globally, making Iraq the third largest market in the world for Turkish contractors.
Polat explained that Turkish engineering, architecture and consulting companies have also implemented nearly 200 projects worth $400 million in Iraq.
He pointed out that Ankara is ready to provide all forms of support for Iraq’s reconstruction projects, especially the “Development Road” project, which is one of the most prominent joint strategic initiatives between Ankara and Baghdad.
Shafaq.com