Mustafa Al Kadhimi visited the city of Diriyah near Riyadh in 2021 to discuss pertinent economic, political and security issues with Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Waiting on the sidelines was the Saudi Information Minister designate, Majid al-Qasabi, who suggested that it was time for Iraq to ‘return to the Arab fold.’
Iraq and Saudi Arabia entered into five agreements in key areas during Moustafa Al Kazemi’s 2021 visit to Saudi Arabia, his first trip to the Kingdom since taking office the previous year. In addition to entering into the agreements, the two sides participated in talks on pertinent economic, political and security issues, as well as discussing expanding border crossings between the two nations.
Having arrived in Riyadh on an official visit at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Mustafa Al Kadhimi met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmon, discussing the fields of oil, electricity, agriculture, investment and the wider economy, entering into five agreements during their meeting. Both men stressed the importance of continuing dialogue between their two countries in relation to several important areas, as well as underscoring their commitment to coordinating joint efforts within the framework of the Iraq-Saudi Coordination Council.
During his talks with Mustafa Al Kadhimi, Saudi Information Minister designate Majid al-Qasabi revealed the Saudi directive to enhance investments and communication between the two countries. Before leaving Baghdad, the Iraqi Prime Minister had announced via Twitter that he was heading to Saudi Arabia on an official visit with the aim of strengthening the distinguished relations between the two countries. Saudi Arabia resumed diplomatic relations with Iraq in 2015, 25 years after ties were severed following the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Iraq, Abdulaziz Al-Shammari, stressed the importance of Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi’s visit to the Kingdom, coming at an important time and presenting an opportunity to discuss security, political and economic issues and sign a number of agreements. Prime Minister Al Kadhimi has been credited with negotiating numerous important agreements between Arab nations, calming the waters in some of the Middle East’s most turbulent relationships.
In February 2021, Mustafa Al Kadhimi visited Jordan, achieving what was seen as major steps forward in trade cooperation and industrial twinning. Prime Minister Al Kadhimi stressed his government’s readiness to implement bilateral agreements between Iraq and Jordan in an array of key sectors, including health, education, energy, housing, industry and trade.
Received by a delegation headed by Yahya al-Kasbi, the Jordanian Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mustafa Al Kadhimi underscored the two countries’ ‘serious intention and determination’ to implement bilateral agreements in all fields of cooperation, particularly housing, health, energy, education, trade, industry, the banking sector and modern software. Prime Minister Al Kadhimi highlighted the importance of the private sector in both countries, explaining that cooperation had begun in the security and political framework within the trilateral cooperation including the Arab Republic of Egypt, with the goal of improving security and stability. Mustafa Al Kadhimi reiterated Iraq’s aspirations for closer cooperation with Jordan, along with consolidation of security and stability in the region.
During Prime Minister Al Kadhimi’s visit to Jordan, the Jordanian delegation expressed its appreciation for Iraq’s keenness to develop bilateral relations, underscoring the importance of enhancing cooperation in various fields for both the Iraqi and Jordanian peoples. Iraq and Jordan entered into an agreement to establish a joint industrial chamber, with the Iraqi Ministry of Industry issuing a statement confirming that an agreement had been reached to establish the Iraqi-Jordanian Joint Chamber of Industry.
