Following a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Chia al-Soudani to Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, a “strategic partnership treaty” was signed to strengthen energy cooperation between France and Iraq. A month following taking part in a regional conference in support of Iraq, the French president confirmed his commitment to this key country in the Middle East, where he has visited twice since taking power in 2017.
In December, in Jordan, Emmanuel Macron had campaigned for Baghdad, a country under strong Iranian influence, to embark on a path other than that of a “model dictated by the outside”. The government of Mohamed Chia al-Soudani is supported by majority pro-Iranian parties in the Iraqi Parliament, to the chagrin of the United States.
Towards arms sales to the Iraqis?
Paris and Baghdad “reiterated their commitment to complete the major projects undertaken”, in particular “the renovation of the Iraqi electricity network and the electricity interconnection with Jordan”, “as well as the project to build an aerial metro in Baghdad”. , thanks to the “expertise” of French companies such as GE Grid France, Schneider Electric, and Alstom, according to the joint statement.
“With regard to alternative energies, they have shown their commitment to the implementation of the multi-energy project of TotalEnergies”, which is long overdue.
The head of the Iraqi government also “wished to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation”, according to the statement, although no new commitment has been announced in this regard. On the eve of his visit, Mohamed Chia al-Soudani declared that he hoped to obtain with France “the training and development of Iraqi security capacities”, as well as “the purchase of armaments”. The two leaders jointly “wished” to “bring Franco-Iraqi cooperation higher” in energy and transport.
