Already overwhelmed by a severe downturn in sales to Iraq in recent years, Turkish exporters now fear further losses with its traditional trade partner as Turkey has introduced tighter visa requirements for Iraqi nationals as part of its struggle to curb illegal immigration.
Iraq was Turkey’s second-largest export partner in 2014, when Turkish exports totaled $10.7 billion, but sales fell by 22 percent to $8.3 billion in 2015. The decline was not only limited to the year 2015 as goods hailing from Turkey in recent years have faced boycotts and tighter customs duties imposed by the central government in Bagdad due to Turkey’s deployment of troops to northern Iraq, a military move that aimed at training peshmerga forces against the terrorist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
In the midst of already declining trade activity, however, the Turkish government last week tightened visa requirements for Iraqi nationals in order to fight illegal immigration, irking those who conduct business between the two countries.
Speaking to the Dünya daily, Emin Taha, chairman of the Turkish-Iraqi Business Council under Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), said: “Iraq refuses to readmit its citizens who could face deportation after seeking asylum in Europe. Turkey, meanwhile, decided to issue visas for Iraqi nationals in order to stem a further refugee influx. At least Iraqi businessmen should have been allowed to obtain visas at border crossings or even have been completely exempt from the visa requirement.”
There are nearly 100,000 Iraqi refugees in the EU and some 170,000 in Turkey, according to the daily. “This situation worries us. We will soon discuss the issue with the ministry and explain to them its significance,” Taha added.
Most recently, Iraq-bound Turkish sales slumped by 45 percent from $846.4 million to $463.9 million year-on-year this January. Iraq fell to third place in the list of Turkey’s top export partners, down from second place in 2014. Meanwhile, the total volume of Turkey’s overseas sales suffered an 8.7 percent decline in 2015, compared to the preceding year.