PM Al-Sudani : Iraqi-Turkish committees will discuss securing fair shares of water

INA-  Baghdad

Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani confirmed Wednesday the government's endeavor to provide facilities for granting entry visas to Iraq for Turkish businessmen and investors, pointing out at the same time that the water file will be discussed through joint committees to secure fair and rational shares.

 The Prime Minister said to Al-Iraqiya News TV, followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Today we held an extensive meeting with Turkish businessmen and investors, and most of the attendees are in Iraq and have been working for a long time, and we listened to a number of obstacles that hinder their work, and at the same time they explained the specializations and fields of work of their companies."  

 He added, "Through this review, we found that most of these specialties and these works fall within the government's priorities, which are affirmed to improve services and diversify the economy by activating the national industry, agriculture, road projects, energy transmission, and hospitals."

 He also continued, "The government is committed to removing all obstacles, and we announced that the Ministry of Interior has given the Iraqi embassy in Ankara and the consulates in Istanbul and Gaziantep powers to facilitate the granting of entry visas, and we will discuss providing more facilities regarding financial transfers through local and foreign banks approved by the Central Bank."

He pointed out, "The talk now has two parts: the first is granting entry visas to investors, and we are keen to provide more facilities, and the second is related to Turkish labor, and this is subject to the approval of the Ministries of Labor and Interior, and there is also a mechanism to facilitate the granting of visas, and for Iraqis there is a smooth flow of visas by the Turkish side and, and there are companies located in most of the governorates to grant approvals through an applied mechanism.

 He pointed out that "Iraq is serious today in expanding and developing aspects of cooperation with Turkey, and during the visit we held serious and fruitful discussions and announcing the development path project is one of the most important results of this visit, which is a vital project not only for the region but for the whole world."

 On the water file, Al-Sudani stressed that "Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an important decision regarding increasing water releases, which will contribute to the provision of drinking water to the provinces in the center and south.”