PM visit activates Strategic Framework agreement on various sectors, advisers suggest

INA - BAGHDAD

Advisers to Prime Minister Muhammed S. Al-Sudani affirmed on Saturday, that the PM's visit to Washington will activate the Strategic Framework Agreement across various sectors, opening more investment files in the fields of smart industry, agriculture, and technology.

During the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to the U.S. capital, Washington "will prioritize the activation of the framework agreement on the agenda of the visit, to enhance cooperation and coordination with the United States. It will also activate the agreement's provisions between the two countries, especially in the fields of development, economy, investment, education, technology, artificial intelligence, and climate," said the PM's political adviser, Fadi Al-Shammari, to the Iraqi News Agency INA. 

He highlighted, "The Prime Minister seeks to address issues in a manner of rebalancing and strengthening partnership, maturing the relationship between the two countries, and outlining the nature, identity, and essence of the common relations. This is to occur by consolidating the factors of mutual commitment and focusing on the key aspects of the Strategic Framework Agreement, in addition to joint political, security, and military files."

On economic and investment-focused regard, PM's adviser for investment affairs, Muhammed Al-Najjar, told INA, "The Prime Minister's visit to the United States is exceptionally economic and investment-focused, aimed at strengthening Iraqi-US relations regarding economic, agricultural, and industrial issues through cooperation in the investment field," noting, "energy is the main attraction for the United States, in addition to the interest in agricultural systems, hydrogen industry, and others."

Al-Najjar suggested, "The visit will open more investment files in the fields of smart industry, agriculture, and technology as well," adding, "There were bureaucratic obstacles for companies to enter the Iraqi law, some of which are resolved through direct intervention, and the rest require laws. The government is currently studying a series of changes that eliminate obstacles to investment in Iraq, including several laws," explaining that "there are more than 6 laws currently being studied for the obstructive parts, and they will be presented to the Parliament."

Earlier, PM Al-Sudani affirmed before leaving Baghdad to head to the United States of America that "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 aligns with the government program and the included economic reforms." 

He indicated that "the visit will witness the holding of the first meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee responsible for implementing the Strategic Framework Agreement, which has not held any meeting since the agreement was ratified," explaining that "the coordination committee meeting will address trade, energy, investment, education, transportation, culture, corruption combating, and asset recovery files."