The Turkish Consul General in Mosul, Serhad Varli, said that the Iraqi city of Mosul will be an important center for regional and international trade, indicating that the investments of Turkish businessmen in the city, which has historical and cultural relations with Turkey, constitute a qualitative leap, according to what was reported by “Anadolu”.
Farley explained that the “Development Road” project, which will link Iraq to Asia and Europe via Türkiye and other Turkish investments, will contribute to creating job opportunities in the city.
He added that Mosul is a city with a special status for Turkey, and that one of Ankara’s most important goals is to contribute to the development of Mosul and improve living standards there.
“We are working to increase Turkish investments in Mosul even more. Mosul is a city with great potential. It has very close cultural and historical ties with Turkey. We want to revive these ties again. In this regard, Turkish companies play a very active role here. I can say that the investments of Turkish companies here are changing the game,” he continued.
Farley explained that one of the most prominent projects implemented by Turkish companies in the city is the Mosul International Airport construction project, and that the project will be completed in the first half of next year.
Referring to the benefits of the Mosul airport project for the city, Farley said: “With the completion of the project, we expect the interaction between Mosul and Turkey to increase more in the fields of trade, culture, economy and everything.”
Farley said that the 600-bed hospital project, which is being implemented by Turkish companies, is one of the projects that will contribute to the development of Mosul.
He added: “There has been great progress in this project, which will be completed in the coming years, and this hospital will be one of the largest hospitals in Iraq.”
He said his consulate is making efforts to attract more Turkish businessmen to Mosul.
He added: “The visit of Nineveh Governor Abdul Qader Al-Dakhil to Turkey on November 26-29, 2024 was very useful and fruitful. He was hosted at the highest level and met with businessmen and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz in Ankara, and with the heads of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Maarif Foundation, and the Yunus Emre Institute.”
Farley added that the planned organized industrial zones in Mosul and Tal Afar are among the most important items on the city’s agenda currently.
He added in this regard: “Significant progress has been made in this regard after the historic visit of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iraq last April. Discussions on establishing these zones between the two countries’ ministries of industry are still ongoing.”
He pointed out that the implementation of industrial zone projects will create significant job opportunities for local residents in Mosul and Tal Afar.
He added: “Turkey has always stood by the people of Mosul in their worst times, and the people of Mosul have not forgotten this and will never forget it, and they still remember it, and this is a major factor in our good relations.”
“Apart from that, we support the Iraqi people at all times, and we work with prominent figures here and with the people of Mosul. We have very close and warm relations with all segments of Iraqi society,” he added.
The Turkish Consul confirmed that the activities of Turkish institutions such as TIKA, Maarif Foundation, and Yunus Emre Institute will increase in Mosul.
He pointed out that TIKA has been working in Iraq for years, and that it has made very important investments in Mosul and Tal Afar.
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.
On April 22, 2024, Turkey, Iraq, Qatar and the UAE signed a quadripartite memorandum of understanding in Baghdad for cooperation in the “Development Road” project under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
