The Iraqi Prime Minister received by Emmanuel Macron to talk about energy and security

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Chia al-Soudani announced that he would travel to Paris on Thursday “at the official invitation” of Emmanuel Macron, a visit to strengthen relations “between two friendly countries”, where energy and of security.

Mohamed Chia al-Soudani, in power for three months, is looking all over the place for partners to try to give a boost to the Iraqi energy sector. Dilapidated and a collateral victim of corruption, the Iraqi electricity network is particularly suffering. Load shedding can last up to twelve hours a day in this country, which is nevertheless rich in hydrocarbons. And, in Paris, the head of the Iraqi government will “seek to activate the agreements concluded between the two countries, particularly in the transport, energy and investment sectors”, he explained in written replies to questions submitted by AFP.

“Strengthen bilateral relations between two friendly countries”

In 2021, TotalEnergies signed a ten billion dollar contract with Iraq. But the first shovel is waiting, while Baghdad seeks to get rid of its dependence on its Iranian neighbor, which provides it with a third of its gas and electricity needs.

The agreement with the French giant covers the construction of oil gas collection and processing units to generate electricity. The objective is to eliminate greenhouse gases resulting from the “flaring” of wells. Also planned is the construction of a photovoltaic power station capable of producing 1 GW in the Basra region, in the south.

Soudani felt that his visit came “to strengthen bilateral relations between two friendly countries”. Saying “to appreciate France’s efforts and support for Iraq during the war” against the Islamic State (IS) group which lasted until 2017, Mohamed Chia al-Soudani “hopes for security cooperation between the two countries in different areas, particularly in the training and development of Iraqi security capabilities, as well as in the area of ​​arms procurement”. “Especially since Iraq had a French military arsenal and our armed forces have experience in the use of these weapons,” he insisted.

The French head of state is particularly invested in Iraq, where he has visited twice since the start of his first term in 2017. In December 2022, Emmanuel Macron pleaded during a regional support conference to Iraq for Baghdad, under the influence of Iran, to embark on a path other than that of a “model dictated by the outside”.

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