Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani held a meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein. The talks focused on strengthening the bilateral partnership in economic, cultural, and defence sectors, as well as the situation in the Middle East.
Iraq is a strategic partner for Italy in the region, with nearly 500 Italian military personnel engaged in the country in training activities, both bilateral and multilateral, the latter within the framework of the anti-Daesh Coalition and the local NATO Mission.
The two Ministers agreed to maintain close contact on developments in the Middle East and exchanged in-depth views on the political and security situation in Syria.
Tajani highlighted Italy’s commitment to Gaza and the two-state solution, support for an inclusive political process in Syria, stability in Lebanon in view of UNIFIL’s withdrawal and the resumption of the Iran–US nuclear dialogue.
Following the parliamentary elections in Iraq in November, Minister Tajani expressed Italy’s interest in collaborating with the new Iraqi Government once it takes office. He also congratulated Iraq on the imminent conclusion of the UN Mission (UNAMI), noting that the partial revision of the travel advisory for visitors to Iraq reflects positive developments in the country’s security situation.
Recalling the significant presence of Italian companies in Iraq, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and healthcare, Minister Tajani reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation across all strategic sectors, exploring opportunities offered by major infrastructure projects such as the Iraq Development Road (IDR) and the IMEC corridor.
