Baghdad Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani to Berlin will include an invitation to German companies to invest and work in Iraq.
A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein met with the National Security and Foreign Policy Adviser of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jans Plotner, in the presence of the Head of the Europe Department , Ambassador Haider Al-Athari,” noting that “during the meeting, they discussed relations between the two countries and aspects of joint cooperation in various fields, the most important of which are related to the development of the energy sector in Iraq, renewable energy and anti-corruption mechanisms.
It added, “The upcoming visit of the Prime Minister to Berlin was discussed, based on the invitation extended to him by his counterpart, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”
Hussein stressed that “Iraq is keen to enhance cooperation and exchange official visits with the German side in a way that serves the interest of the two friendly countries,” noting that “this visit will include a bilateral work program to expand this cooperation, and invite German companies to invest and work in Iraq.”
He continued, “The Iraqi government has made strenuous efforts to voluntarily return the Iraqis stranded on the Belarusian border,” noting that “Iraq was able to return thousands of Iraqi citizens by private planes from Iraqi Airways, and through regular evacuation flights designated for that .”
He indicated that “Iraq will work to solve this file on two levels, bilaterally or within the framework of multilateral relations with the countries of the European Union in line with what is stated in the partnership and cooperation agreement between Iraq and the European Union,” calling on Germany to “provide a program to train and qualify the returnees before returning, with the aim of integrate them and help them open small projects that contribute to opening future prospects for them and encourage them to return voluntarily.”
The two sides discussed regional and international developments, and the minister stressed the importance of reaching understandings and settlements on the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war and avoiding its continuation because its repercussions affect global security in general and food and energy security in particular.
For his part, the German official stressed that “the file of Iraqis whose asylum applications are rejected requires quick measures to reach an agreement that includes a mechanism for returning Iraqis who do not have a legal status to stay in Germany.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
