ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq—Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani is set to arrive in Turkey, where he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss a range of topics, including bilateral ties and regional crises.

This meeting follows a recent surge in diplomatic engagement between the two nations, highlighted by a significant security summit in Baghdad in early 2024 and a series of new bilateral agreements.

“Relations between Turkey and Iraq, current regional and global developments will be discussed,” between Sudani and Erdogan, Fahrettin Altun, head of communication for the Turkish presidency, wrote on X.

“On this occasion, it is envisaged that documents aiming at cooperation in various fields will be signed between the two countries,” Altun said, adding that with Sudani’s visit to Ankara, “deep-rooted” relations between the two neighboring countries will be further strengthened across many sectors.

Sudani and Erdogan are set to chair the joint Iraq-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

The Baghdad summit resulted in the formation of permanent joint committees focused on key areas such as security, trade, agriculture, energy, and health.

Sudani last met Erdogan in November in Istanbul, just two months after the two premiers met on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, discussing Baghdad-Ankara ties and regional security.

One of the key topics said to be discussed between the Iraqi and Turkish leaders is cooperation in military and counterterrorism in the border regions of northern Iraq.

Iraq officially, in July 2024, rebranded the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to “Banned PKK” in all affairs of state, months after a high-level meeting between Ankara and Baghdad led the Iraqi side to criminalize the group officially.

Headquartered in the Kurdistan Region’s Mount Qandil, the PKK is an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, Europe, and the US.

Turkish forces have established military positions deep inside Iraqi territory, particularly in Duhok province, where operations have caused civilian casualties, destroyed farmland, and resulted in the establishment of multiple military bases in border villages.