Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE on Monday concluded a four-way memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the “Development Road” project.

The memorandum was signed at the Republican Palace in the capital, Baghdad, under the patronage of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani.

The Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Oraloglu, the Iraqi Minister of Transport, Razzaq Muhaibis Al-Saadawi, the Qatari Minister of Transport, Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, and the Emirati Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Muhammad Al-Mazrouei, participated in the signing ceremony.

President Erdogan arrived in Baghdad on Monday morning, accompanied by a large number of Turkish ministers, to meet with Iraqi officials.

The “Development Road” project is a land and railway road extending from Iraq to Turkey and its ports, with a length of 1,200 kilometers inside Iraq, and aims to transport goods between Europe and the Gulf countries.

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Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said that the expected visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iraq tomorrow, Monday, represents a “qualitative shift” in bilateral relations between the two countries and will witness the discussion of “important files.”

This came in statements made by Al-Awadi prior to Erdogan’s visit to Baghdad, and comes 12 years after his last visit to Iraq.

Al-Awadi added that the visit will be a “qualitative shift” in Iraqi-Turkish relations, especially since preparations for it have been taking place for about a year.

It is expected that Erdogan’s visit to Iraq will give an “important impetus” to strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries, in addition to politics and security issues.

Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Polat previously said that Baghdad and Ankara will sign during President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq “a joint declaration regarding the establishment of the joint economic and trade committee and the protocol for establishing a consultation and cooperation mechanism in the areas of product safety and technical barriers.”

He added: “The Turkish Council for Foreign Economic Relations and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce in Iraq will also sign 3 agreements in the trade field, including a memorandum of understanding.”

The Iraqi government spokesman explained that “there are 4 important files on the agenda, the most important of which is the water file and the development road file, in addition to the security file related to the terrorist PKK organization.”

The fourth file, according to Al-Awadi, is “the Turkish companies file, which gains its importance from the strength of trade exchanges between Iraq and Turkey, in addition to other files that will dominate the Turkish president’s visit to Baghdad.”

Regarding the water file, Al-Awadi pointed out, “A strategic agreement will be signed between Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, given that Turkey is a country described internationally as one of the best countries in the world in investing in water wealth by all means and methods, and therefore they have great experience.”

Regarding the development path, the spokesman stressed that “there will be important agreements and things announced between the two sides, given that the center of the path is Turkey, and it will be at the heart of the negotiations, along with the file of Turkish companies’ investments and their role and work in Iraq.”

The development road project includes a land road and a railway linking trade routes in Asia, the Gulf states to the south, and European markets through Turkish territory.

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Erdal Eren, head of the Turkish Contractors Union, said that the attention of his colleagues in the sector is directed to the projects to be implemented within the framework of the “development road” that passes through Iraq and Turkish territory.

This came in an interview about the investment goals of Turkish contractors in Iraq on the eve of the expected visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Baghdad on Monday.

Eren added that Turkish contractors aspire to complete the entire “Development Road” project.

He stressed that the huge projects of highways, bridges, and railways completed by Turkish contractors inside Turkey are an indication of their ability to complete the entire “development path.”

Eren pointed out that the “development path” seems to open the door to other projects in Iraq as well.

He stated that the projects that will result from the launch of the “Development Road” include the construction of new cities and residential areas and other projects along the path of the project, whose investment budget amounts to about 17 billion dollars.

Eren stressed the importance of President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq for Turkish contractors and the future of their projects in this Arab country.

The “Development Road” project is a land road and railway extending from Iraq to Turkey and its ports. The length of the road and railway is 1,200 kilometers inside Iraq, and the project aims to transport goods between Europe and the Gulf countries.

It is scheduled to be completed in three phases, the first ending in 2028, the second in 2033, and the third in 2050.

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Turkey launched the “Mesopotamia Express” tourist train to discover its tourist areas located in the south and southeast of the country.

The train scheduled to depart from the capital, Ankara, towards the state of Diyarbakir (southeast) on April 19, will pass through the states of Kayseri, Malatya, and Elazig before arriving in Diyarbakir.

The train takes its name from the “Mesopotamia” region, which means “Mesopotamia” and includes parts of Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

On Saturday, the aforementioned tourist train completed its trial tour aimed at promoting it.

The train arrived in Diyarbakir on Saturday, one day after the start of the test flight from Ankara.

The train gives its passengers the opportunity to tour and shop in the states and tourist stations that it passes through, and discover their tourist, archaeological and historical attractions, as well as their local dishes.

The length of the tourist train line is 1,051 km, and the first official trip is scheduled to depart on April 19 from Ankara, arriving in Diyarbakir the next day, and departing from there towards Ankara again on the 21st of the same month.

The capacity of one trip of the Mesopotamia Express is 180 passengers.

The train also includes 9 cars with beds for two people.

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On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received his Iranian counterpart, Ibrahim Raisi, at the presidential complex in the capital, Ankara.

An official ceremony was also held during a major reception, where Erdogan was waiting for him at the main entrance to the complex.

After playing the national anthems of the two countries, the two sides presented the delegations of their countries and took souvenir photos in front of the flags of Turkey and Iran.

The Turkish delegation included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, and Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek.

In addition to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Defense Minister Yaşar Guler, and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli.

It also included the ministers of trade, Omar Bolat, transportation, and infrastructure, Abdulkadir Oraloglu, in addition to the head of the presidential communications department, Fahrettin Altun.

Also, the head of the intelligence service, Ibrahim Kalin, and the head of the Central Bank, Hafiza Ghaya Arkan.

After the reception, the two sides headed to hold a bilateral meeting, after which the two presidents are expected to attend the eighth meeting of the high-level cooperation council between the two countries and the signing ceremony of a number of agreements and to hold a joint press conference.

Earlier on Wednesday, the two presidents arrived in the Turkish capital, Ankara, to meet his counterpart Erdogan and attend the eighth meeting of the high-level cooperation council between the two countries.

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The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that the number of neutralized terrorists had risen to 20 from the PKK organization in northern Iraq and Syria.

According to the Turkish Defense statement, the operation to target terrorist nests comes in response to the martyrdom of 9 Turkish soldiers.

This occurred during clashes with terrorists as they attempted to infiltrate a Turkish base in northern Iraq in the area of Operation “Claw – Al-Qafl.”

The statement indicated that the operation involved aircraft and with fire support from ground forces.

Earlier, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the destruction of 29 terrorist targets, including hideouts, shelters and oil facilities for terrorists.

They were in the areas of Harkuk, Gara, and the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq, in addition to targets for terrorists in northern Syria.

The PKK is a terrorist organization active in several countries in the region, including Syria, Iraq, and Iran, and Turkey is combating it in response to attacks it launches against its citizens and forces.

On April 17, 2022, Turkey launched Operation Claw-Lock against the strongholds of the PKK terrorist organization in the areas of Matina, Al-Zab, and Afshin-Basyan in northern Iraq.

Turkey is carrying out operations to combat the PKK, which targets its forces and citizens, and is active in several countries in the region, including Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

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Ankara’s ambassador to Baghdad, Ali Riza Gunay, discussed with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, Masrour Barzani, in Erbil, the resumption of Iraqi oil exports through Turkey.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq stated that the meeting between Barzani and Gonani witnessed the exchange of ideas regarding developments in Iraq and the strengthening of bilateral relations, and focused on advancing trade cooperation and facilitating travel procedures.

He added that the two sides discussed resuming the flow of oil shipped from the Kurdistan Regional Government to the port of Ceyhan in Adana Province, southern Turkey.

The two parties agreed, according to the statement, on the need to resume oil shipping as soon as possible.

The statement also conveyed through the Turkish ambassador his country’s readiness to resume oil exports from Iraq.

Last Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani said that his country is ready to find a solution to resume oil exports to Turkey, during his meeting with Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alp Arslan Bayraktar and his accompanying delegation in the capital, Baghdad.

It is noteworthy that on March 25, it was announced that the flow of oil from Iraq to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey had stopped against the backdrop of a decision issued by the Paris-based International Court of Arbitration regarding the export of oil between Turkey and Iraq.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed to his American counterpart, Anthony Blinken, the necessity of declaring a complete and immediate ceasefire in Gaza, against which Israel has been waging war since last October 7.

This came during the two ministers’ discussions in Ankara on Monday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources, during which they discussed regional developments, particularly the latest developments in the situation in Gaza and bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Fidan stressed to his American counterpart the necessity of “preventing Israel’s targeting of civilians and their displacement in Gaza and declaring a complete and immediate ceasefire.”

During the meeting in which views were exchanged on Gaza, the two sides confirmed that they agreed on the need to ensure that no harm was caused to civilians and that humanitarian aid was delivered continuously and without interruption.

The source said regarding the meeting: “Turkey and the United States agree on the need not to harm civilians in Gaza and to deliver humanitarian aid.”

The source reported that during today’s meeting in Ankara between Fidan and Blinken, “the necessity of working together for a two-state solution was also emphasized.”

During the discussions, the Turkish Foreign Minister assured his American counterpart that bombing civilian targets and destroying infrastructure in Gaza was “unacceptable.”

On another level, during the meeting that took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, the two ministers discussed the NATO expansion process within the framework of Sweden’s membership and bilateral and regional issues.

It is noteworthy that the bilateral and expanded discussions between the two sides lasted about two and a half hours, and after the talks, Blinken left Turkey.

Blinken’s visit to Turkey comes after a Middle Eastern tour that he began with a visit to Israel.

During his tour with his counterparts in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, Blinken discussed the Israeli war on Gaza.

He also went to the West Bank with a surprise visit, during which he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, followed by a visit to Greek Cyprus, where he met with its head of administration, Nikos Christodoulides.

Later, the American Minister visited the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, during which he discussed with Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani the situation in Gaza.

After Ankara, Blinken is expected to head to Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi.

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Istanbul received 13 million 156 thousand 209 foreign tourists during the first 9 months of the current year 2023.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism stated in a statement that the number of foreign visitors to Istanbul increased last September by 1.55 percent compared to the same month last year to reach 1,631,963 tourists.

The Russians topped the list of foreign tourists visiting Istanbul the most last September, with 168,925 visitors, followed by the Germans with 119,681, then the Iranians with 111,688 tourists.

On the Arab level, Iraqi tourists topped the list, followed in second place by citizens of Saudi Arabia and then Algeria.

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Arab countries, organizations and federations confirmed their support for Saudi Arabia’s candidacy to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

This came in official statements issued by Qatar, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Mauritania and Palestine, as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Similar statements of support and support were also issued by the football federations in the Emirates, Iraq and Palestine, in addition to the Asian Confederation.

On Wednesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced his country’s desire to run to host the 2034 World Cup.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced on Wednesday that the World Cup in 2034 will go to the continents of Asia and Oceania, and called on all local football federations from the two continents to submit their nominations to organize the World Cup.

Saudi Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, said: “The Kingdom’s announcement of its intention to run for hosting the 2034 World Cup constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football.”

The Saudi minister stressed, “Through its intention to nominate to host the 2034 World Cup, the Kingdom is keen to provide an unprecedented experience for everyone around the world.”

** Continuous Arab support

On Thursday, Kuwait announced in a statement by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs “its full support for Saudi Arabia’s endeavors and efforts to embrace this tournament, which reflects the comprehensive renaissance that the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have achieved.”

In a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Mauritania expressed its support for the Kingdom’s candidacy to host the 2034 World Cup, stressing that “Saudi Arabia’s hoped-for victory in organizing this major global event will be added to the Kingdom’s great successes.”

Jordan also affirmed, in a statement by its Foreign Ministry, “its support for Saudi Arabia in its effort to obtain this opportunity and its absolute confidence that Saudi Arabia is capable of hosting this major international football event efficiently.”

President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed the State of Palestine’s support for “Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup” in a telegram he sent to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to what was reported by the Palestinian News Agency on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Qatar confirmed in a statement to the Foreign Ministry its support for the Kingdom’s candidacy, expressing its “hope that Saudi efforts will culminate in winning the right to host the major international football event.”

The State of Qatar, which hosted the last World Cup in 2022, pointed to “the high capabilities that the Kingdom enjoys in various fields and its full qualification to organize that event.”

The Sultanate of Oman also expressed its support for Saudi Arabia in its candidacy to host the 2034 World Cup and its full support for its endeavor to host this tournament, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman confirmed that this desire is a reflection of the comprehensive renaissance that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have achieved, enabling them to host various international sporting events.

In a statement by its Foreign Ministry, Bahrain expressed its “full support for Saudi Arabia in its efforts to organize this world championship.”

At the level of organizations and bodies, the Secretary of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, announced in a statement his support for the Kingdom’s candidacy to host the World Cup, wishing the Saudi leadership and people “all the best and success in hosting the tournament.”

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also announced its “full support for Saudi Arabia in its intention to run for hosting the 2034 World Cup.”

She confirmed in a statement that “the Kingdom has all the human, logistical and infrastructure capabilities to present a distinguished and unprecedented version of the World Cup.”

** Football federations welcome

At the level of football federations, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation, announced in a statement his “full support for Saudi Arabia’s intention to submit a nomination file to host the World Cup in the 2034 edition.”

Al Khalifa added, “The Asian football family will stand united in supporting this extremely important initiative for the Kingdom, and we are committed to working closely with the global football family for its success.”

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Gulf Football Association, also expressed in a statement “the federation’s support for the Kingdom’s announcement,” expressing his “confidence that the Saudi bid will be able to meet all hosting requirements.”

The UAE Football Association announced in a statement its “full support for its Saudi counterpart in the bid to host the World Cup,” stressing that “Saudi Arabia has all the ingredients for success in organizing the World Cup.”

The President of the Iraqi Football Federation, Adnan Darjal, also announced his “full support for the Kingdom’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup,” stressing that “the Saudi Football Federation’s submission of the request to host the World Cup is a success and a major step that is counted for all Arabs.”

The Palestinian Football Association also confirmed in a statement its “full support for the Saudi file.”

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks to be the third Arab country to host the World Cup after the 2022 editions in Qatar and Morocco in its joint bid with Spain and Portugal for the 2030 edition.

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