Baghdad-INA
Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi expected visit to the United States in mid-July is viewed as a significant step in shaping the future of relations between Baghdad and Washington. Political observers say the success of the visit will depend largely on expanding mutual interests and activating bilateral cooperation files, particularly in the economic and commercial fields.
The discussions in Washington are expected to advance cooperation on development and economic issues, as well as other areas outlined in the Strategic Framework Agreement, paving the way for a new phase of partnership based on shared interests.
In this regard, Member of Parliament Abu Turab Al-Tamimi said that the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States represents an important visit and would be his first official visit outside Iraq. He stressed the importance of organizing the relationship between Baghdad and Washington in a way that serves the interests of both countries.
Al-Tamimi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that “the United States is an influential country at the global level, and everyone is aware of the extent of its presence in Iraq and the region.” He added that “Iraq needs to organize this presence in various fields, particularly security, military, economic, and political affairs, in addition to reorganizing the security agreement and addressing the issue of the U.S.-led international coalition in Iraq.”
He added that “the global economic standing of the United States makes it important for it to play an active role in Iraq through investment and work in various sectors, not only the oil sector.” He called for “enhancing cooperation in the fields of electricity, roads and bridges, agriculture, dams, and other vital sectors.”
He noted that “Iraq needs to benefit from the expertise of all countries around the world, and that the presence of foreign companies and states in Iraq should be positive and effective, producing tangible results.” He stressed that “the required objective is for the benefits of this cooperation to outweigh its drawbacks, in a way that serves the interests of Iraq and the Iraqi people.”
In turn, the Prime Minister’s financial adviser, Mazhar Mohammed Salih, affirmed that Iraqi-U.S. relations are based on established institutional foundations defined by the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement, which was not limited to security aspects alone but established a broad framework for economic, commercial, investment, scientific, and cultural cooperation.
Salih told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that “Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi’s emphasis on deepening trade and investment relations with the United States reflects Iraq’s commitment to activating the economic tracks contained in the agreement in a manner that serves the mutual interests of the two countries. This coincides with the Prime Minister’s expected visit to the United States, which will reinforce these tracks.”
He added that “a significant aspect of cooperation in recent years has focused on the energy sector, while the coming phase appears poised to expand the partnership toward other vital sectors, including infrastructure, the financial and banking sector, digital transformation, renewable energy, education, and human capacity building.” He explained that “these fields represent essential pillars in the path of economic diversification and reducing dependence on oil revenues.”
Salih pointed out that “any political rapprochement between the leaderships in Baghdad and Washington would positively reflect on the investment climate and the confidence of global companies in the Iraqi market, given that political stability and balanced international relations provide an attractive environment for capital, technology, and modern expertise.” He explained that “U.S. support for the Iraqi government’s efforts in economic reform and strengthening stability would broaden prospects for Iraq’s regional and international openness and provide financial institutions and international investors with positive indicators regarding the future of the Iraqi economy and its capacity for growth, which will be further reinforced by the discussions during the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington.”
He emphasized that “Iraq possesses important advantages that qualify it to become a meeting point for regional and international economic interests, benefiting from its geographic location, natural resources, market size, and human potential.” He noted that “activating the economic provisions of the Strategic Framework Agreement represents an important opportunity to move Iraqi-U.S. relations from the framework of traditional cooperation to a long-term development partnership that contributes to supporting economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing stability in Iraq and the region.”
Salih further stated that “drawing a promising economic future for Iraq stems from the historic opportunity provided by the presence of a young economic leadership capable of reshaping the country’s image as a promising state, not only in its regional environment but also at the international level.” He noted that “optimism about Iraq’s future is based on a number of fundamental factors and active components in the regional and international economy, foremost among them its geographic location, which gives Iraq a pivotal role, in addition to its natural wealth, human potential, and latent productive capacities. These elements pave the way for a phase of accelerated development in the course of international partnerships, foremost among them enhancing cooperation with the United States, thereby giving Iraq a strong impetus toward stability, development, and broader economic integration.”
Encouraging Signals
For his part, security expert Fadel Abu Ragheef said the current government led by Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi has, for the first time in more than a decade, succeeded in building consensus on the issue of disarmament and the classification, registration, and inventory of weapons within the state security institutions.
Abu Ragheef told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that “this step represents a correct direction toward strengthening state authority and consolidating stability,” noting that “since its formation, the government has consistently emphasized that Iraq should not be a platform for aggression against any country, nor a battlefield for regional or international conflicts.”
He added that “the Prime Minister has repeatedly affirmed that the state is solely responsible for decisions of war and peace, and that this approach constitutes a fixed policy of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.”
Abu Ragheef explained that “the current government measures will directly affect various sectors, particularly as regional and international actors will view Iraq more positively, while investment will find a more fertile environment and a more suitable climate for business.”
He stressed that “the concerns and reservations previously held by foreign, international, Western, and European companies regarding entering Iraq and investing there in a secure manner will decline significantly as the process of restricting weapons to state control and strengthening official institutions continues.”
He noted that “these positive effects will become evident rapidly, whether in reconstruction, building, or economic development,” expressing his expectation that “the coming months and years will witness clear results from these measures.”
Abu Ragheef further said that “Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi’s expected visit to Washington will have important positive effects, especially in light of the progress achieved in the issue of restricting weapons to state control.”
He expected that “these steps would receive broad international praise,” adding that “the Al-Zaidi government’s success in convincing armed factions to relinquish weapons and integrate into the political process represents an important achievement that strengthens the state’s position and supports prospects for stability and development in the coming period.”
Strengthening Relations
Political affairs expert Ghalib Al-Daami said the U.S. welcome for Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi’s leadership of the Iraqi government and the invitation extended by the U.S. President for him to visit Washington reflect an unprecedented level of welcome not seen with previous Iraqi governments, indicating a clear American desire to strengthen Iraqi-U.S. relations.
Al-Daami explained that “among the most prominent issues expected to be discussed during the Prime Minister’s anticipated visit to Washington are the development of economic relations and the improvement of relations between Iraq and the United States.”
He added that “the coming period appears more stable and carries positive indicators at various levels, particularly with signs of a decline in the intensity of U.S.-Iran tensions, which could directly contribute to Iraq’s stability and enhance opportunities for development and economic and political openness.”
Al-Daami noted that “the visit will determine the course of relations between Iraq and the United States in the coming period, and its outcomes will affect the nature of cooperation between the two countries, whether toward broader strategic understandings or, if no common understandings are reached, in another direction.”
He further stated that “Iraq needs to work on developing and strengthening its relations with the United States and avoid approaches that hinder this path, especially in light of the new phase involving the reorganization of the U.S. military presence.”
Al-Daami pointed out that “the withdrawal of U.S. forces, in accordance with the announced understandings, would shift relations between Baghdad and Washington toward a framework of strategic cooperation between two states, based on the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement.”
Al-Daami pointed out that “the United States has expressed its readiness to enhance cooperation with Iraq in various fields, which requires making use of this opportunity in a way that serves mutual interests and strengthens Iraq’s stability.”
