ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Wednesday received a phone call from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman in which the two discussed enhancing bilateral ties between Baghdad and Riyadh.
“The conversation focused on bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and ways to develop and enhance them in various fields, as well as the latest developments in the region,” read a statement from Sudani’s office.
Ways to boost political, economic, and developmental ties between the two countries were also discussed in the phone call.
The two leaders met in Riyadh in April on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s special meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy for development. Strengthening bilateral relations, increasing cooperation in various fields, and Iraq’s desire to expand economic ties with Saudi Arabia were highlighted in the meeting.
The Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council was established in 2017 aimed at strengthening strategic, economic, investment, security, and cultural relations between Riyadh and Baghdad. The council held its fifth edition in Jeddah in May 2023, and is set to hold the sixth edition in Baghdad later this year.
The Iraqi oil ministry announced in May last year that it had reached an agreement with Aramco, which will see the Saudi petroleum giant invest and help develop the Akkas gas field in Anbar. Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said that the country seeks to reach a production capacity of 400 million cubic meters of gas per day through the development of this field.
The two sides agreed to continue security cooperation, also stressing the need to strengthen border security between the two countries.
Iraq played a significant role in the recent restoration of ties between Saudi and Iran, having hosted several rounds of talks between Riyadh and Tehran, aimed at reconciliation, since April 2021.
