Prime Minister Barzani Receives Davutoğlu, Reaffirms Strengthening Ties Between Kurdistan and Türkiye

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday received Ahmet Davutoğlu, leader of the Future Party and former Prime Minister of Türkiye, in Erbil, in a high-level meeting focused on regional developments and bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Türkiye.

The meeting, attended by Türkiye’s Consul General in the Kurdistan Region, Erman Topcu, included discussions on the latest developments in Iraq and the broader region, according to an official statement.

Both sides exchanged views on ongoing regional shifts, emphasizing the importance of strengthening coordination and political dialogue amid increasing geopolitical changes across the Middle East.

The talks highlighted the deeply rooted relationship between the Kurdistan Region and Türkiye, which has developed over decades into a strategic partnership encompassing trade, energy cooperation, border security, and political coordination.

Türkiye remains one of the Kurdistan Region’s key economic partners, with strong cross-border trade flows and sustained private-sector investment linking the two sides. The Kurdistan Region has also served as a vital gateway for Türkiye’s economic engagement with Iraq and neighboring markets.

Energy cooperation continues to be a cornerstone of relations, particularly through oil export infrastructure linking the Kurdistan Region to Türkiye’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, underscoring their mutual economic interdependence.

Security cooperation and coordination on regional stability have also remained central pillars of the relationship, especially in managing shared border challenges and broader regional security concerns.

During the meeting, Barzani and Davutoğlu reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation and enhancing coordination between the Kurdistan Region and Türkiye across multiple sectors.

They also stressed the importance of sustained high-level dialogue as a means to address regional challenges and support stability in Iraq and the wider Middle East.

The visit comes amid ongoing regional realignments, as both Erbil and Ankara seek to preserve a pragmatic and stable relationship built on shared economic interests and long-standing strategic ties.