Türkiye and Iraq reaffirmed their goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to $30 billion in the medium term. During the meetings held in Ankara, the harmonization of customs procedures, the facilitation of transit trade, mutual investments, and the steps to be taken within the scope of the Development Road Project were discussed. The integration of the Ibrahim Khalil Border Crossing into Iraq’s automated customs system, ASYCUDA, is intended to reduce uncertainty at border crossings and accelerate commercial transactions.

A New Era of Digital Integration at the Customs Gate

Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat said that connecting the Ibrahim Khalil Border Crossing to the ASYCUDA system as soon as possible would make a significant contribution to the $30 billion trade target. The integration is expected to strengthen cooperation between the customs administrations of the two countries and make transit transportation processes more organized.

Türkiye is Iraq’s fifth-largest trading partner. The current trade volume between the two countries stands at approximately $17 billion. This figure had risen to as much as $24 billion during the post-pandemic period and when energy prices increased.

The Development Road Will Be Supported by Logistics Centers

The meetings also addressed the Development Road Project, which is planned to begin at Al-Faw Port in the Persian Gulf and extend to Europe via Türkiye. Within the scope of the project, new logistics centers and cities are planned to be established, road and railway connections are to be developed, and transit trade channels to Gulf countries are to be expanded. The new customs and logistics infrastructure is expected to contribute to the development of cross-border e-commerce, retail supply chains, warehousing, distribution, and delivery operations.

A New Trade Roadmap Will Be Prepared

The third meeting of the Türkiye-Iraq Joint Economic and Trade Committee is planned to be held in Türkiye in the final quarter of 2026. A new roadmap for the $30 billion target will be prepared at the meeting.

Turkish contracting companies have completed 1,157 projects in Iraq to date, with a total value of $40 billion. In addition to trade, the parties aim to expand cooperation in investment, transportation, energy, logistics, and contracting.