Rewriting the Rules of Trade and Connectivity between Turkey and Iraq

In recent years, Turkey has advanced the normalisation of relations with its Middle Eastern neighbours, notably Iraq. The CATS Network project “Turkey-Iraq Relations: Opportunities and Tensions in Security and Connectivity”, conducted by Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, investigates this evolving partnership, marked by a high-level visit in 2024 during which 26 cooperation agreements were signed in areas such as security, counterterrorism, trade, energy, water, and education. As part of this CATS Network project this paper explores the deepening economic and strategic ties between Turkey and Iraq. This partnership is underscored by record trade volumes and joint involvement in the Development Road Project, which aims to establish Iraq as a key transit hub linking Asia and Europe. While infrastructure and energy cooperation-alongside shifting geopolitical dynamics such as the Red Sea crisis-are reshaping regional connectivity, they are also enhancing both countries’ roles in global supply chains.