Mideast, European Leaders Meet in Jordan to Strengthen Iraq

By Staff, Agencies

Leaders from several Middle East countries and countries in Europe gathered in Jordan for a summit centered on ensuring Iraq’s sovereignty, security and stability.

The second Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership – Baghdad II – took place on Tuesday. The participants discussed regional crises, with a focus on Iraq.

The summit was attended by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the ruler of the UAE’s Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud. The French-sponsored summit also attended by French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly hosted envoys from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, the European Union, France and Turkey.

“Iraq today is the scene of [foreign] influences, incursions, destabilization that are linked to the entire region,” Macron told the conference, adding: “Iraq probably is, given the past decades, one of the main victims of regional destabilization.”

The meeting took place as several countries in the region are mired in unrest. Jordan is also witnessing strikes and protests against rising fuel prices in recent days.

The conference is a test for Iraq's Sudani, appointed prime minister in late October after more than a year of political deadlock.

In its statement, the French presidency said it hoped for "continuity" from the new Iraqi leader.