(Photo: PM Al-Sudani's media office)
Monitor
Al-Sudani welcomes scheduled Macron visit in talks with French foreign minister
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani met Wednesday with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in Baghdad, affirming the “strong and steadily growing relations” between Iraq and France and welcoming an upcoming visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement from Al-Sudani’s media office.
The meeting highlighted joint interests in regional stability and economic cooperation. Al-Sudani praised the “progress” made since his Paris visit two years ago, while Barrot reaffirmed France’s commitment to security and counterterrorism cooperation with Iraq.
Statement from PM Al-Sudani’s media office:
Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met today, Wednesday, with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot, and his accompanying delegation.
Prime Minister Al-Sudani highlighted the strong and steadily growing relations with France, noting the significant progress achieved since his visit to Paris nearly two years ago and the signing of the Strategic Agreement. He welcomed the upcoming visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Iraq and affirmed the alignment of views between Iraq and France concerning regional issues.
The Prime Minister expressed Iraq’s desire to host the Iraqi-French Business Forum in Baghdad and emphasized the importance of stability in the region—particularly in Syria—while advocating for the principles of citizenship, peaceful coexistence, and inclusive governance representing all components of society.
Mr. Barrot conveyed President Emmanuel Macron’s greetings to the Prime Minister and praised the government’s achievements under his leadership, noting Iraq’s transformation into a successful and attractive destination for investment, with improving security ratings. He stressed the importance of coordinating positions with Iraq as a key regional player and enhancing bilateral ties, especially in the economic sphere, encouraging French companies to invest in Iraq.
Mr. Barrot also affirmed his government’s commitment to military and security cooperation, as well as counterterrorism efforts, in line with the bilateral agreements signed regarding military equipment. He emphasized that France shares Iraq’s stance on the developments in Syria and the broader region.
