Saudi economy delegation arrives in Baghdad for talks

BAGHDAD

A large delegation of Saudi economy officials has arrived in Baghdad to discuss means of enhancing economic cooperation between the two OPEC member-states.

According to a Thursday statement issued by Iraq’s Trade Ministry, members of the Saudi delegation were received Wednesday evening at Baghdad’s international airport by Trade Minister Mohamed Hashim al-Ani.

“This visit confirms the Iraqi government's readiness to deal openly with its neighbors,” al-Ani was quoted as saying in the statement.

“It will also serve to empower the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council,” he added.

Saudi Arabia and Iraq established the coordination council in 2017 as part of a rapprochement drive between Baghdad and Riyadh.

Iraq-Saudi relations were suspended after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. They were reactivated in 2006 after then Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited the Saudi capital.

Saudi Arabia is OPEC’s largest oil producer, producing some 10.2 million barrels of oil per day (), followed by Iraq with 4.5 million .

Notably, the Saudi delegation’s visit comes only days after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani paid a similar visit to Baghdad, during which he signed a raft of trade deals with Iraqi officials.

Writing By Ali H. M.Abo Rezeg