Middle East
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud meet in Baghdad on February 2, 2023. Photo: Iraqi foreign ministry/Facebook
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi and Saudi foreign ministers on Thursday stressed the importance of a secure and stable region for the economy of both countries to flourish, adding that there has been intense cooperation between Baghdad and Riyadh in different fields.
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud held a joint press conference in Baghdad, addressing investment opportunities and the growth of economic relations between the two countries.
Hussein said that there was “intense cooperation” between the two sides in the commercial and investment sector, adding that they were looking forward to “providing Iraq with electric energy, whether that is through the Saudi network or through the Gulf network.”
Iraq and Saudi Arabia in July signed an electricity interconnection agreement, which will see Baghdad linking its electric power grid with the Gulf, implementing a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries on the same topic earlier in 2022.
Al-Saud also highlighted the growth of the economy in both countries, on both individual and bilateral levels, saying there are currently numerous opportunities to continue that development which has a positive impact on the region as a whole.
“We will not achieve these goals without a secure and stable region, and here is where Iraq plays an essential and important role in enhancing this stability. We will work together to advance the stability process in the region through dialogue, promoting common interests, and addressing any disagreements,” said the Saudi foreign minister.
The Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran have had rocky relations since 1979, when Shia revolutionaries came to power in Iran and pledged to export their revolution to the world, including Gulf countries.
Their relations deteriorated in 2016 when Iranian protestors attacked the Saudi diplomatic mission in Tehran in retaliation to the Kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Riyadh responded by cutting ties with Tehran.
Baghdad has been key in mediating talks between the regional rivals and has hosted multiple rounds of talks between the two.
Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages, especially felt when summer temperatures reach scorching levels of over 50 degrees Celsius. The high temperatures subsequently push citizens to consume very high amounts of power.
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud held a joint press conference in Baghdad, addressing investment opportunities and the growth of economic relations between the two countries.
Hussein said that there was “intense cooperation” between the two sides in the commercial and investment sector, adding that they were looking forward to “providing Iraq with electric energy, whether that is through the Saudi network or through the Gulf network.”
Iraq and Saudi Arabia in July signed an electricity interconnection agreement, which will see Baghdad linking its electric power grid with the Gulf, implementing a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries on the same topic earlier in 2022.
Al-Saud also highlighted the growth of the economy in both countries, on both individual and bilateral levels, saying there are currently numerous opportunities to continue that development which has a positive impact on the region as a whole.
“We will not achieve these goals without a secure and stable region, and here is where Iraq plays an essential and important role in enhancing this stability. We will work together to advance the stability process in the region through dialogue, promoting common interests, and addressing any disagreements,” said the Saudi foreign minister.
The Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran have had rocky relations since 1979, when Shia revolutionaries came to power in Iran and pledged to export their revolution to the world, including Gulf countries.
Their relations deteriorated in 2016 when Iranian protestors attacked the Saudi diplomatic mission in Tehran in retaliation to the Kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Riyadh responded by cutting ties with Tehran.
Baghdad has been key in mediating talks between the regional rivals and has hosted multiple rounds of talks between the two.
Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages, especially felt when summer temperatures reach scorching levels of over 50 degrees Celsius. The high temperatures subsequently push citizens to consume very high amounts of power.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment