Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has urged Iraq’s prime minister-designate to form a government which reflects the country’s religious and ethnic diversity.
In a weekend phone call, Erdoğan congratulated Ali al-Zaidi on his appointment, expressing hope he would swiftly form an “inclusive, balanced, and stable” administration.
Last week, a coalition of Iraqi Shia political blocs nominated al-Zaidi to replace outgoing Prime Minister Mohamed Shia' al-Sudani.
Under Iraq’s constitution, al-Zaidi has 30 days from his appointment to assemble a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval.
During the call, Erdoğan also stressed that Iraq’s sizeable Türkmen community represents a key component of the two countries’ fraternal relations.
Iraqi Türkmen, who are ethnically Turkic and speak a dialect of Turkish, are concentrated largely in the country’s north.
Although no official census exists, Türkmen are generally believed to make up between 7% and 13% of Iraq’s population, making them the country’s third-largest ethnic group.
Al-Zaidi, a relative newcomer to Iraqi politics, is a successful businessman who holds degrees in law, finance and banking.
Speaking shortly after his appointment, he pledged to form a government “that responds to citizens’ demands for security, stability, and comprehensive development.”
Last month, Türkiye welcomed the election of Mehmet Seman Ağaoğlu, a prominent local Türkmen politician, as governor of Iraq’s oil-rich northern Kirkuk province.
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry described Ağaoğlu’s election - he also heads the Iraqi Türkmen Front - as a “historic development in terms of inclusivity and fair representation”.
It added that his appointment was a “long-overdue acknowledgement of a legitimate right for our Türkmen kinsmen, who are an integral component of Iraq and Kirkuk.”
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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday (22 May) on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in the Swedish city of Helsingborg.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Swedish city of Helsingborg on Thursday and Friday, diplomatic sources said.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 23rd May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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Ukraine’s military denied that it struck a student dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region on Friday (22 May).
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An interactive map showcasing the Christian heritage of Caucasian Albania in Garabagh was presented in London this week, highlighting Azerbaijan’s efforts to preserve and promote the religious and cultural legacy of the region.
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Traditional pottery from Gijduvan has officially received geographical indication status in Uzbekistan, recognising the centuries-old craft as a product closely linked to its region of origin and cultural heritage.
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