Iraq's Kadhimi kicks off European tour in Paris
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi is also slated to visit Germany and the United Kingdom as he looks to deepen economic and security cooperation.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi began a European tour on Sunday that will include stops in France, Germany and the United Kingdom to discuss topics including economic cooperation, security concerns and handling the coronavirus.
Kadhimi’s visits to European capitals come as his priorities are focused on battling Iraq’s worsening economic crisis, renewed calls for anti-government protests as soon as this weekend, and attacks on diplomatic missions by Iran-backed militias that have prompted Washington to threaten to shutter its embassy in Baghdad.
Accompanied by a delegation of ministers and heads of departments, Kadhimi arrived in Paris late on Sunday. Alongside France’s Prime Minister Jean Castex, the states signed on Monday three memorandums of intent across the fields of transportation, agriculture and education.
A few details of the agreements include cooperation on the construction of a metro railway in Baghdad, developing land and water resources in Iraq, and expanding the admission of Iraqi students to French universities.
