Middle East
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani (left) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2024. Photo: Office of Iraqi PM
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in New York on Wednesday, reviewing bilateral agreements, and sharing perspectives on regional and international issues.
“The meeting focused on bilateral relations… and reviewed the outcomes of the committees formed to implement the memorandums of understanding signed during President Erdogan's visit to Baghdad last April,” read a statement from Sudani’s office.
Sudani and Erdogan had signed more than 24 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in Baghdad in April, describing them as a “roadmap for sustainable cooperation.” Key agreements included the Development Road project, security, and water issues.
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the two countries took “steps to develop cooperation…and particularly the implementation of the Development Path would benefit both countries and the region,” according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.
Sudani emphasized the importance of bilateral coordination on the Development Road, according to the Iraqi statement.
The project is planned from southern Iraq to the Turkish border, connecting the Persian Gulf with Turkey. It aims to enhance Iraq’s geopolitical position, boost the economy, and create thousands of job opportunities. The route is expected to link Iraq with the European Union via Turkey.
The two leaders also discussed the Israel-Gaza conflict and its risk of spilling across the region.
The Turkish side stated “the solidarity of the international community is necessary to prevent Israel's attempts to spread conflicts to the region…”
“Sudani emphasized the importance of strengthening Islamic coordination to achieve a unified stance that contributes to deterring aggression and stopping the genocide against Palestinians and the recent attacks on Lebanon,” read the Iraqi statement.
The UN theme for this year’s summit is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations.”
Friday is the last day of the 79th UNGA.
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