Uzbekistan, Iraq Plan Direct Baghdad-Tashkent Flights

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On the sidelines of the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF-2026), interagency negotiations were held between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Iraq aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in tourism, investment, trade, and economic sectors.

The Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Akkulov, held a working meeting with the Director General of the Iraqi Economic Council, Haider Ali Hadi. The central theme of the dialogue was leveraging the potential for mutual tourist travel.

The officials outlined comprehensive steps to increase bilateral tourist flows, launch joint marketing campaigns to promote national tourism brands, and intensify direct contacts between leading tour operators and travel associations of the two countries.

The key infrastructure solution to realize these plans will be the establishment of regular direct air service between the states, including the launch of passenger and cargo flights along the strategic Baghdad–Tashkent route. The opening of the air corridor is expected to boost both tourism and business ties.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to organize a series of reciprocal business missions and specialized B2B meetings for tourism industry representatives.

In addition, economic integration was formalized through private sector channels during the forum. The Iraqi Economic Council and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan signed an agreement to establish a joint business council. At its debut meeting, the council identified food manufacturing and the electrical engineering sector as the priority vectors for long-term industrial and trade partnership.