Baghdad - INA

Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi received an official invitation to visit Jordan on Thursday.

The Prime Minister's Media Office stated in a press release received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi received today a ministerial delegation from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, headed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Ya'rub Falah al-Qudah, and including the Ministers of Energy and Mineral Resources, Transport, and Investment. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Industry and Minerals, the Head of the Arab Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Jordanian Ambassador to Iraq."

The statement added that "the meeting addressed several files and topics of mutual interest, most notably proceeding with the implementation of the Basra-Aqaba oil pipeline project, facilitating visa procedures for businesspeople in both countries, and strengthening cooperation in the fields of industry, energy, transport, investment, and other sectors of common interest."

The Prime Minister affirmed that "the two countries are bound by historical and distinguished relations, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan represents a significant strategic depth for Iraq," noting "the government's aspiration to elevate bilateral relations to broader levels in the coming phase, through increasing the volume of trade exchange and expanding investment opportunities and economic cooperation in various sectors."

For their part, the members of the Jordanian delegation conveyed to Al-Zidi the greetings and congratulations of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and Jordanian Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan on the formation of the government, and presented the Prime Minister with an official invitation to visit the Kingdom.

Ya'rub Al-Qudah affirmed "the Kingdom's full support for Iraq," praising "the progress Iraq has achieved in combating corruption, implementing economic reforms, and improving the investment climate, which contributes to strengthening the partnership between the two brotherly countries."