Saudis see opportunities in helping to rebuild Iraq
Riyadh's role in restoring Iraq's war-torn areas will play up Saudi Arabia's presence there and, the Saudis hope, help stop the spread of Iran's influence.
BAGHDAD — The reconstruction of Iraq’s liberated Sunni areas will open new horizons for the country, as 400 companies worldwide are engaged in the Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terroristic Operations to restore life to areas freed of the Islamic State (IS). Iraq will need $100 billion from other countries for the project, according to Planning Minister Salman al-Jumaili.
Chief among those countries is Saudi Arabia, which will take this opportunity to stem what it sees as the rising tide of Iranian influence in Mesopotamia. Iraq looks to Saudi Arabia as one of the big players in this process and wants it to play a large role.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi sent a letter Jan. 18 to Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud asking for support. On the same day, Salman stressed Saudi Arabia's willingness to help Iraq. He said Iraq is Saudi Arabia’s “brotherly” country — one that holds deep strategic importance for Saudi Arabia. In another sign of Iraq's outreach to Saudi Arabia, Iraqi parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri met Jan. 18 in Baghdad with Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz al-Shammari, who confirmed his country's support for Iraq in this issue.
Saudi Arabia wants to strengthen its relationship with Iraq’s Sunnis but doesn't want to distance itself from Iraq's Shiites. Riyadh is working to return Iraq to a higher standing in the Arab world and reduce Tehran's influence, which became entrenched after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.
