Türkiye and Iraq have taken another significant step toward deepening cooperation on water management, a critical issue for both neighbors. During Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Baghdad on Nov. 2, the two governments signed the “Document on the Mechanism for Financing Projects under the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Water Between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the Republic of Iraq.” The mechanism sets out the technical and financial arrangements needed to implement the “Framework Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Water,” which the two countries sealed in April 2024.
The document envisions financing projects aimed at modernizing Iraq’s water infrastructure and promoting the sustainable management of its water resources through a structure based on the country’s oil revenues. The plan seeks to both enhance Iraq’s water management capacity and ensure active participation by Turkish companies in the process. Through this arrangement, Türkiye aims to strengthen its contribution to improving Iraq’s water infrastructure and to promote more efficient, planned, and sustainable use of the country’s water resources. The step stands out for creating a concrete, sustainable, and institutional framework for cooperation on water issues — a longstanding item on the Türkiye-Iraq agenda. It also reinforces Türkiye’s active role in Iraq’s development efforts while laying the groundwork for a stronger, mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations.
New link in bilateral relations
Viewed from a broader perspective, the agreement can be seen as a natural outcome of the positive momentum recently achieved in Türkiye-Iraq relations. In recent years, growing coordination in the field of security, the deepening of economic cooperation through the Development Road Project, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s pivotal visit to Baghdad last year, and the series of comprehensive agreements signed during that visit have all underscored the strategic evolution of bilateral ties. Following these developments, the reactivation of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline, along with plans to expand the framework for its future operation through a new agreement, has emerged as another key sign of strengthening economic integration between the two countries.
In this context, the water cooperation mechanism signed on Nov. 2 represents a new and concrete link in the multilayered, comprehensive, and long-term framework of relations between Türkiye and Iraq. Cooperation in the field of water is not merely a technical infrastructure project but also a reflection of the two countries’ shared vision to strengthen their strategic partnership based on sustainable development, regional stability, and economic reciprocity. Therefore, the document and the mechanism established under it should not be viewed solely as a technical arrangement. On the contrary, they mark the latest step in the steady advancement of Türkiye and Iraq’s multidimensional partnership. The fact that the long-debated water issue has now taken shape within such a concrete framework of cooperation highlights how both sides are moving beyond short-term agendas to pursue common goals of sustainable development, regional stability, and mutual interdependence.
Regional context and timing
From a timing perspective, the agreement carries two critical dimensions. First, considering the heightened risk of conflict and fragile security environment across the Middle East following the events of Oct. 7, the simultaneous progress achieved by Türkiye and Iraq on issues such as the Development Road Project, energy cooperation, and water management should be viewed as a strategic choice in favor of stability. Contrary to the region’s increasingly security-driven agenda, the fact that the two countries are taking concrete steps in areas like infrastructure, trade, and water security serves as a positive example not only for Ankara and Baghdad but also for the broader cause of regional stability.
Within this framework, Türkiye’s approach to supporting Iraq’s stability is being implemented not just rhetorically but through concrete policy actions. The revival of energy cooperation and the newly established water mechanism signal a strengthening of Ankara’s strategy toward Baghdad, emphasizing a “mutual gain and development-based” approach.
The agreement’s impact extends beyond official diplomatic channels and should also be seen through the lens of public diplomacy. In Iraq, pressures stemming from water scarcity and climate change have become a reality that directly affects daily life. Accordingly, Türkiye’s step toward modernizing Iraq’s water infrastructure can be interpreted not only as a technical arrangement but also as a signal to the Iraqi public of trust and a shared commitment to finding solutions.
The second notable aspect in terms of timing is that the agreement was signed just ahead of Iraq’s parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov. 11. Considering the constructive momentum established between Ankara and Baghdad during Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s tenure, which began in 2022, the decision to implement the document without waiting for the elections is particularly striking. This underscores that Türkiye approaches its relations with Iraq not merely at the government-to-government level but within a broader strategic cooperation framework. In other words, Ankara-Baghdad ties are being built on a long-term, institutionalized foundation that is not dependent on individual leaders or short-term political cycles.
Meanwhile, signing the agreement ahead of the elections also carries significance for the Sudani administration. Water has long been one of the most pressing issues in the Iraqi public agenda, and taking a concrete step in this area can be seen as a tangible demonstration of the government’s development vision and foreign policy performance, marking a notable achievement for the Sudani administration ahead of the vote.
This opinion piece was published on Nov. 5, 2025, on the Anadolu Agency website under the headline: “Türkiye-Irak su işbirliği: Stratejik ilişkilerde yeni bir adım.”
