President Barzani, Turkiye’s Deputy FM discuss oil exports, regional cooperation

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Kurdistan Region President, Nechirvan Barzani, met with Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister, Berris Akinci, to discuss the resumption of oil exports to Turkiye.

According to a statement by the Kurdish presidency, the discussions centered on the ties between Turkiye and Iraq, with particular emphasis on the Kurdistan Region, covering cooperation in energy and water resource management, in addition to efforts to restart oil exports from the Region. The meeting also touched on several other matters of mutual interest.

Both sides expressed support for the amendments to the Iraqi Budget Law, “which are expected to facilitate the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region.” They also discussed preparations for the export process and the anticipated positive impacts for both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

“President Nechirvan Barzani affirmed that the re-export of oil from the Kurdistan Region would serve the interests of all Iraq and would contribute to national revenues. He reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region's commitment to strengthening cooperative efforts with Turkiye in the energy sector,” the statement added.

For her part, Ekinci conveyed her “satisfaction” with the agreement between Erbil and Baghdad on resuming oil exports from the Region, reaffirming Turkiye’s “unwavering support” for the initiative. “She also highlighted her country's readiness to collaborate with Iraq on water management and addressing the challenges posed by climate change,” the Kurdish presidency concluded.