Activating the economic partnership is one of the goals of the PM visit to Washington

Investigations and reports
  • 13-04-2024, 13:02
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    Baghdad-INA
    The importance of activating the provisions of the Strategic Framework Agreement is highlighted, which is an important part of the government program that focuses on reforming the economic sector, which represents one of the provisions of the agreement.
     
    The Prime Minister said before leaving Baghdad for the United States of America, “The goal of the visit to Washington is to move the relationship between the two countries to a new stage and activate the strategic framework agreement,” pointing out that “the strategic framework agreement is in line with the government program and the economic reforms it includes.”
     
    He pointed out that "the visit will witness the holding of the first meeting of the joint coordinating committee concerned with the implementation of the Strategic Framework Agreement, which has not held any meeting since the approval of the agreement," indicating that "the meeting of the coordinating committee will address the files of trade, energy, investment, education, transportation, culture, anti-corruption, and money recovery."
    Economıc horizons
    Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Investment Affairs, Muhammad al-Najjar, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The Prime Minister’s visit to the United States is economic and investment par excellence, and its aim is to consolidate Iraqi-American relations with regard to economic, agricultural, and industrial issues through joint cooperation in the field of investment,” He pointed out that "energy is the main attraction for the United States, in addition to its interest in agricultural systems, the hydrogen industry, and others."
     
    Al-Najjar added, "The visit will open more than one investment file in the field of industry, smart agriculture, and technology fields as well."
    He continued: "There were bureaucratic obstacles to the entry of companies into Iraqi law, and there are some of them that are solved through direct intervention, and the other part requires laws, and the government is now in the process of studying a number of changes that eliminate obstacles to entering investment in Iraq, and these include a number of laws," indicating that “There are more than 6 laws now, the obstructing parts of which are being studied, and will be presented to the House of Representatives.”
    Investing in Iraq
    In turn, the head of the Parliamentary Investment and Development Committee, Hassan Al-Khafaji, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “A while ago, more than 50 reputable American companies came to Iraq, including Boeing, General Electric, and other large companies that want to enter the industrial field the discussion took place with the Prime Minister, and he was positive and opened doors for investment for solid companies.”
     
    Al-Khafaji continued: “The committee’s meeting with the owners of companies and the Presidency of the Council was present, and investment in Iraq was discussed,” noting that “the Prime Minister went to open new files, the most important of which was investment in energy and mineral files and many industrial files.”
     
    Al-Khafaji confirmed: “The companies were suffering from bureaucracy and visa problems, and the committee raised these obstacles to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior, and they granted visa facilities. The Prime Minister expressed his willingness to follow up on the investment file with the executive authorities, and the procedures are good.”
    Banks file
    For his part, economic expert Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “A group of experts met with Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, and we discussed the file of his visit to the United States, and he confirmed that the banking file was opened with the American side,” pointing out that “ The Prime Minister confirmed that he has a priority regarding the bank that prepares the ration card, and it is one of his priorities.”
     
    He pointed out that "the Prime Minister explained that he would accompany with him a delegation of high-level businessmen to meet with American businessmen to present Iraqi investment opportunities and how to invest in them."
    Construction industries
    Al-Mashhadani stated: “The Prime Minister has priorities in addition to clean energy, as he has a priority for the construction industries, especially after his decision to build new residential complexes with locally made materials. Therefore, we need many cement companies in addition to rebar, glass, and many factories that contribute to the construction of residential complexes.” 
    Economic openness
     
    Economic expert Alaa Al-Fahd said to the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The Iraqi government seeks economic openness with all countries of the world, especially in the field of investment and energy, given that the United States of America is an essential partner with the Iraqi government, and there is a strategic agreement between the two parties, so the Prime Minister seeks Ministers during this period generated a kind of confidence to work on the energy file, services, and other economic files.”
     
    Al-Fahd stated, "These files will be present, given that the United States has solid companies in providing energy, investment, the transportation sector, housing, and even arming and equipping the Iraqi forces," stressing that "the Prime Minister is clear in his government program that he wants openness to all countries of the world."
    Important partnerships
    He stated that "American companies, including General Electric, will have a wider space in the field of energy investment, in addition to other American companies and investment companies in the field of gas, and we expect that the visit will lead to important partnerships, especially since the United States supports the direction of Iraq being a partner with the Gulf states through... The Saudi and Jordanian electrical connection, and this is evidence that America views Iraq as an essential economic partner, and this is based on the seriousness of American companies to enter Iraq to invest seriously and effectively during the next stage.”