Turkey and Iraq have taken a key step in improving their bilateral ties, with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan visiting Baghdad on Sunday and pledging to strengthen cooperation on critical issues, including water management, energy, and security.
Fidan travelled to Iraq after his counterpart Fuad Hussein visited Ankara three weeks ago. Bilateral talks focused on two major themes: Iraq’s worsening water crisis and the future of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The most tangible result of the summit was the announcement of a new framework for joint water management. Iraq has faced severe water shortages, worsened by prolonged drought and reduced inflows from Turkey’s extensive dam network along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Around 90 per cent of Iraq’s water originates in Turkey, making the issue central to Iraq’s sovereignty and long-term stability.
Environmental groups, including the Green Iraq Observatory, have warned that Turkey’s dams, which together hold about 80 billion cubic metres of water, have significantly reduced Iraq’s reserves, forcing authorities to introduce rationing.
In response, the two foreign ministers unveiled a plan for strategic cooperation to rehabilitate Iraq’s water and irrigation infrastructure. Hussein announced that Baghdad would sign a formal agreement with Ankara on the joint management of shared water resources, which Fidan described as the “first of its kind”.
A mechanism document, signed in the presence of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al Sudani, will fund these projects through Iraq’s oil revenues, with Turkish companies assisting in their implementation. Fidan hailed the initiative as a sign of Iraq’s “visionary approach”, calling it potentially the largest infrastructure investment in the country’s history. Both sides described the agreement as a long-term commitment to restore and sustain Iraq’s water systems for future generations.
Security discussions centred on the status of the PKK, which Turkey calls a terrorist organisation. Hussein reiterated Iraq’s call for the disarmament of PKK elements who remain in the country’s north after decades of conflict in Turkey. He expressed Baghdad’s support for the peace process and voiced hope that the issue could be resolved permanently.
The talks came amid major internal changes within the Kurdish movement. Following a February statement from imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan urging the group to disband, the organisation announced in May its intention to end armed struggle and dissolve. A symbolic disarmament ceremony took place in northern Iraq in July.
Despite these developments, PKK fighters are still reported to be present in areas such as Sinjar and Makhmur. Fidan stressed that Turkey expects the group to withdraw fully from Iraqi territory, as well as from its positions in Iran and Syria. He said Ankara would continue working closely with both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government to achieve regional stability.
Beyond water and security, the two ministers also discussed economic cooperation and regional connectivity. Hussein confirmed the signing of 26 memorandums of understanding covering sectors including energy, trade, and security. Talks also addressed the resumption of oil exports and the expansion of collaboration in natural gas and electricity.
Another milestone is the planned resumption of flights between Iraq and Turkey, including services to Sulaymaniyah International Airport, which have been suspended for more than two years.
Fidan underlined the importance of regional self-reliance, stating that Middle Eastern nations must resolve their challenges without “waiting for saviours from outside”. He reaffirmed Turkey’s full support for Iraq’s stability and development, adding that with sound strategies, the region has the capacity to become a “land of prosperity and stability”.
The renewed cooperation over water – a resource that has long been a source of contention – symbolises a broader shift in Iraq–Turkey relations.
