Iraqi PM to participate in Riyadh summit

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi government confirmed on Wednesday that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, will participate in the summit that will be held in Riyadh and is going to be attended by the U.S. President Joe Biden, according to a press statement issued by the Iraqi Prime Minister press office.

The statement mentioned that Al-Kadhimi will participate early next week in the summit Saudi Arabia will host, with the participation of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as well as the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, and the United States of America.

The conference will discuss issues related to energy, food security and environmental challenges. It will also address cooperation, partnership, and joint coordination related to these critical issues countries of the region suffer from, according to the statement.

Iraq’s acceptance of the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and its participation in this summit represent the government’s commitment to the approach of developing the country’s diplomatic relations, and its eagerness to maintain the international position of Iraq, while adhering to moderation, keeping balanced relations and staying away from alliance policies, the statement mentioned.

“When U.S. President Joe Biden comes to the Middle East this week, he will be arriving in a region facing numerous challenges, from terrorism to food insecurity and climate change. But the Middle East is also a region that is increasingly facing those challenges together under a group of leaders pursuing positive change,” according to Al-Kadhimi’s article published by Foreign Policy.

“I will represent a resilient Iraq that stands more confidently on the international stage and is stronger than when he last visited Baghdad as U.S. vice president in 2016—or even than when we met in the Oval Office last year,” Al-Kadhimi wrote in his article.

“Last year, Iraq hosted the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership with the leaders of Egypt, France, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates and with minister-level participation from Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The conference considered security, economic, and environmental issues whose solutions require good will, honest engagement, and cross-border cooperation. With these and other initiatives, we have been able to play a positive role in the region. They are a testament to my government’s commitment to spare no effort in stabilizing both our country and our neighborhood,” Al-Kadhimi’s article mentioned.

“Our relationship with the United States has also changed for the better. Whereas our historic cooperation revolved around security and the fight against terrorism, the relationship is now broadening to include other equally impactful societal challenges, such as economics, energy, climate change, the environment, health, education, and culture. Our strategic dialogue has developed as Iraq has progressed and the United States has transitioned into a noncombat role, broadening the scope of our relationship and deepening it in areas beyond security,” according to Al-Kadhimi’s article.