Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi announced on Thursday plans to establish a joint Iraq-Turkiye investment fund, as Baghdad and Ankara intensified talks on energy cooperation and the future of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil export pipeline.
During a meeting in Baghdad with Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Al-Zaidi noted that the proposed fund would finance investment and development projects in Iraq while strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement from his office.
He also invited Turkish companies to expand investments in Iraq's agricultural sector, saying the government was implementing programs to develop livestock production, boost agricultural output and improve the investment environment.
Bayraktar said Turkiye viewed its relationship with Iraq as strategically important, reaffirming Ankara's support for the Development Road project and its readiness to expand cooperation in oil, natural gas, electricity and regional energy connectivity.
Separately, Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair met Bayraktar to discuss the Kirkuk-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline agreement and broader cooperation in the oil, gas and pipeline sectors.
According to Iraq's Oil Ministry, the two sides agreed to continue negotiations on the pipeline agreement, explore increasing export capacity and discuss Turkish participation in strategic investment projects in Iraq's energy sector.
: Resumption of oil exports from Kurdistan
The current Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline agreement expires on July 27. Iraq has asked Turkiye to extend the agreement by at least one year while negotiations continue on a replacement deal. Iraqi officials said last month the pipeline had been prepared for trial operations ahead of the planned resumption of exports.