Ankara: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has said that his visit to Ankara was aimed at strengthening the longstanding ties between Iraq and Trkiye rather than fulfilling a diplomatic protocol, emphasising the two countries’ commitment to deeper cooperation. “Our visit is not merely a matter of protocol, but a sign of strengthening relations that date back centuries,” al-Zaidi said during a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after their bilateral meeting on Tuesday.

According to TRTworld.com, al-Zaidi stated that Iraq seeks “a partnership based on brotherhood,” highlighting that the two countries are specifically collaborating on the Development Road Project. This major infrastructure initiative is intended to connect the Gulf with global markets through Iraq. Al-Zaidi elaborated on the significance of the project, saying, “Geography has naturally given us two rivers. Now we want a third river. Let this be a river of economy, and that, of course, is the Development Road,” describing it as a symbol of economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.

Earlier in the day, Erdogan welcomed al-Zaidi with an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara. The ceremony was attended by several prominent Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defence Minister Yasar Guler, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, and the president’s chief foreign policy and security adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic, among others.