STORY: At the start of a four-day visit to Iraq, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock assured Germany of closer cooperation. Upon arriving in the capital Baghdad on Tuesday, Baerbock called Iraq “a key factor in the region’s stability.” During her visit, she will make it clear that Germany not only believes in strong, peaceful future prospects for Iraq, but that it will continue to be committed to it. “My visit is also a signal that Germany is serious about closer cooperation. We want to seize the opportunities we have together. With courage and confidence in these challenging times.” After the withdrawal of US troops in 2011, the IS militia was able to significantly expand its influence in Iraq and in 2014 proclaimed a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria. In the meantime, however, IS is considered defeated. “To ensure that no Iraqi man or woman ever again has to suffer under the terror of IS, we will keep up the pressure on IS together. Your country has made impressive progress in the fight against IS. But unfortunately – and we all know that – IS will remain , as you just underlined, a threat. That’s why German soldiers are here in Iraq today at the invitation of the Iraqi government. As part of the anti-IS coalition and the NATO mission in Iraq.” Baerbock will stay in Iraq until Friday and visit the Bundeswehr soldiers stationed in Erbil in the north of the country. A visit to the south of the country is also on the agenda. It is her longest stay in a foreign country since taking office.