Al-Zaidi takes economic files to the White House
In mid-July, Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zubaidi is preparing for an official visit to the United States, where he will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss the future of bilateral relations between the two countries.
During his meeting with US President Trump’s Special Envoy, Tom Barrack, al-Zaidi reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Iraqi and US governments to a strong and mutually beneficial partnership capable of fulfilling the aspirations of the Iraqi people for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous future, and providing tangible benefits to both nations. Barrack conveyed President Trump’s anticipation of hosting al-Zaidi at the White House in mid-July to discuss the future of this important relationship.
The discussions addressed the Iraqi vision for building a brighter future free from terrorism, through the complete disarmament and disbanding of armed groups operating outside the authority of the state, and the consolidation of weapons under the control of official institutions, thereby ensuring full sovereignty and distancing Iraq from regional conflicts. Both sides emphasized the urgent need to achieve these goals.
On the economic front, the Prime Minister reiterated Iraq’s commitment to deepening trade and investment relations, a move welcomed by Barak as a shared approach. Both sides commended Iraq’s decision to finalize the operating license for Starlink to provide world-class internet services, launch negotiations with Chevron to develop the West Qurna 2 and Nasiriyah oil fields, enable American companies to resume operations with full security guarantees, and proceed with the memorandum of understanding with TI Capital to rehabilitate the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline. They also discussed the project to develop a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Khor al-Zubair.
For his part, government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the Prime Minister’s visit aims to “establish the necessary momentum to strengthen the Iraqi-American partnership and elevate it to an effective level,” noting that economic, trade and investment files will be at the forefront of the visit’s agenda, and that the government is proceeding with addressing the issue of unregulated weapons and confining them to the hands of the state and its specialized institutions.
Alsabaah.iq