Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty conducted a series of high-level meetings in Baghdad on Saturday with Iraq’s prime minister, parliamentary speaker, and senior political leaders to bolster bilateral security and economic ties, announcing an upcoming Cairo visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi on November 23.
During his talks with Zaidi, Abdelatty conveyed greetings from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and expressed anticipation for the November visit, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Nader Zaki said in a statement.
Abdelatty’s diplomatic tour included separate meetings with Zaidi, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Hebat al-Halbousi, Taqaddum Party Head Mohammed al-Halbousi, and former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who now heads the Reconstruction and Development Coalition.
Across all meetings, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm support for Iraq’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, while rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs. He praised Iraqi efforts to consolidate state authority, restrict the possession of arms exclusively to state institutions, and maintain a policy of avoiding entanglement in regional conflicts.
Zaki stated that the discussions focused heavily on expanding economic, commercial, and investment ties. Abdelatty pushed for increasing the participation of Egyptian companies in Iraq’s infrastructure, reconstruction, and development projects, leveraging Egyptian expertise in construction, transport, energy, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
Abdelatty and the Iraqi leadership agreed to advance the trilateral cooperation mechanism connecting Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan, urging the acceleration of joint electricity and oil interconnectivity projects. Speaker Hebat al-Halbousi and Abdelatty also agreed to strengthen parliamentary coordination, with Egypt looking forward to hosting the fourth session of the Egyptian-Iraqi Higher Joint Committee in Cairo.
The talks also touched on broader regional security challenges, with Abdelatty emphasizing the priority of diplomatic solutions to maintain regional stability and safeguard international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
