Baghdad: Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi and the high-level delegation accompanying him concluded their official visit to the United States of America, which lasted five days.
According to Iraqi News Agency, the visit focused on launching a comprehensive and diversified economic partnership that supports Iraq’s economy, expands investment opportunities, revitalizes the domestic labor market, promotes the diversification of national revenue sources, opens new export routes for Iraqi crude oil, and enhances the country’s production and refining capacities.
During the visit, the Prime Minister engaged in several key meetings and discussions with U.S. officials and business leaders. He visited the White House, holding bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, where they agreed on establishing a comprehensive strategic economic partnership. Further discussions with President Trump’s Special Envoy, Ambassador Tom Barrack, were also held.
In addition to political engagements, the Prime Minister visited the U.S. Department of War to discuss bilateral security and military relations, agreeing to further strengthen intelligence cooperation. Meetings with the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury focused on bilateral financial cooperation and banking sector reform. The Prime Minister also explored expanding financing partnerships and supporting the digital economy with the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
The visit included engagements with former U.S. ambassadors to Iraq, reviewing the evolution and key milestones of bilateral relations. The Prime Minister also received an invitation from His Majesty King Abdullah II to visit the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, following a meeting with the Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary included meetings with members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, the U.S. Congress, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. These discussions underscored the importance of sustaining and enhancing Iraq-U.S. relations.
In Houston, Texas, the Prime Minister attended the Economic and Investment Dialogue Forum organized by the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce, where plans for the ‘Energy City’ projects on the Al-Faw Peninsula were announced. He also met with leaders from major corporations such as Chevron, KBR, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Honeywell, and Weatherford to discuss partnerships in developing Iraq’s public and private sectors.
The Prime Minister sponsored the signing of 48 agreements, memoranda of understanding, and economic cooperation arrangements between Iraqi public and private sector entities and various U.S. oil, industrial, technology, and financial sectors. Among these, a notable agreement between the Central Bank of Iraq and the U.S. Department of the Treasury aims to restore seven Iraqi banks to foreign correspondent banking channels.
The visit’s outcomes are expected to significantly boost Iraq’s economic landscape, fostering collaboration and investment across multiple sectors, and strengthening the bilateral ties between Iraq and the United States.