Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation, Ali Yousif Al Shukri, discussed with the Italian Ambassador in Baghdad, Gerardo Karante, ways to develop relations between the two countries.

The Italian Ambassador announced in a press conference today, after the meeting, that his government granted a loan to Iraq worth half a billion dollars for rehabilitation projects, infrastructure, and support human development, pointing out that Italy has given priority to support the Christians of Iraq through the allocation of 10% of the loan to them.

For his part, Shukri said the loan from the Italian side will be repaid in eight years, indicating that the loan will support strategic projects, including the housing file which includes building low-cost houses in Nineveh Province to support the poor and the Christian community, support archeological file, and support the establishment of Faw Port, in addition to building a university in Ainkawa, Erbil province.

He stressed the importance of the Arab Summit due to be held in Iraq and its impact on the Iraqi openness to the regional and international communities, which will encourage the countries to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq and develop their relations with it.