Damascus:Baghdad Iraq’s newspapers have given significant coverage to Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi’s recent visit to Damascus, where he met with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. The visit, highlighted on the front pages of Thursday’s newspapers, focused on expanding strategic cooperation and economic integration between Iraq and Syria.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Al-Sabah, a semi-official daily, reported that the discussions in Damascus centered on strengthening bilateral partnerships, coordinating regional positions, and promoting peace and stability in the region. A key topic was the potential revival of Iraqi oil exports through the Baniyas pipeline, which has a capacity of two million barrels per day. This proposal was met positively by Iraqi lawmakers, recognizing it as a vital step towards enhancing Iraq’s regional partnerships.

Additionally, Al-Zaidi emphasized the historical ties between the Iraqi and Syrian peoples, stating, “the Iraqi and Syrian peoples are one people in two countries.” He advocated for developing joint cooperation across economic and social sectors and enhancing security cooperation to achieve peace and stability.

In other news, Al-Zaman reported a recovery in Iraq’s foreign currency reserves, which have risen to approximately $80 billion, attributed to improved oil export revenues. Mahmoud Dagher, an adviser to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, noted that the reserves had improved after a previous decline, emphasizing the importance of sufficient reserves for economic stability.

Al-Zawraa, published by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, reported that the Central Bank of Iraq plans to issue final approvals for digital banking licenses by late 2027 or early 2028, conditional on the completion of banking sector reforms. This development is part of a broader restructuring effort, highlighting Iraq’s commitment to modernizing its financial sector.