The Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council was established in 2017 aimed at strengthening strategic, economic, investment, security, and cultural relations between Riyadh and Baghdad. The council held its fifth edition on Thursday.
Abdulaziz al-Shammari, Saudi’s ambassador to Iraq told Rudaw’s Lamya Rasul on the sidelines of the event that the council has played a significant role in advancing Iraq-Saudi relations over the past six years, especially in the fields of economy and investment, also highlighting the relations between Erbil and Riyadh.
“There is no doubt that our relations with the Kurdistan Region is very important. God willing, next month the investment minister, accompanied by a delegation of top Saudi businessmen, will be in Erbil to discuss the needs of the Kurdistan Region for the strategic projects that serve the people of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” said Shammari, also revealing plans to establish a center for development and social assistance in the Region’s capital.
The Iraqi oil ministry announced that they have reached an agreement with Aramco, which will see the Saudi petroleum giant invest and help develop the Akkas gas field in Anbar. Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said that the country seeks to reach a production capacity of 400 million cubic meters of gas per day through the development of this field.
The two sides agreed to continue security cooperation, also stressing the need to strengthen border security between the two countries. They agreed to increase cooperation in the fields of transportation, diplomacy, education, and tourism, according to a joint statement following the conclusion of the event, also signing MOUs in the fields of tourism, culture, media, and news.
Iraq and Saudi Arabia reopened the Arar border crossing in November 2020 after almost 30 years of closure.
The crossing had been closed since 1991, after relations between the neighboring states deteriorated following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Since then, it had only opened once a year to allow Iraqi pilgrims passage for Hajj.
Iraq played a significant role in the recent restoration of ties between Saudi and Iran, having hosted several rounds of talks between Riyadh and Tehran, aimed at reconciliation, since April 2021.
