Iraq-Jordan-Egypt Summit in Baghdad

New Mashreq (المشرق الجديد):

The planned Summit between the three countries is set to begin “very soon” according to the Iraqi Foreign Minister.

The Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi underscored in his speech at the Iraq-Jordan-Egypt summit in the Jordanian capital Amman in August of last year that “the historical and geographical ties that bind Iraq with its brothers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Arab Republic of Egypt allow us to build a strong foundation of  common economic interests that secure investment partnerships, long-term and broad-based trade exchange, as well as enriching the Iraqi, Jordanian and Egyptian markets with the products of these countries.”

Regarding the most prominent features of this project, Al-Rikabi indicates that it will provide Iraq with what it needs from the electric power after Egypt’s success in overcoming this problem and its readiness at this stage to export energy.

Accordingly, the connection process will first take place with Jordan and need a period of 26 months, then the connection with Egypt for a period of three years, and therefore Iraq will obtain 960 megawatts of energy in an initial stage from the Arab Republic of Egypt, provided that Iraq exports quantities of not less than 12 million barrels of oil. In the year to Egypt to stimulate the Egyptian industry.

For its part, Jordan will train the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity staff to communicate and control electric power grids, and train employees in other fields related to transportation and others.

In addition, the political writer mentions that Iraq may also resort to cooperation with Saudi Arabia, given that there is an old oil pipeline with Iraqi funds that passes from Basra and ends in miraculous al-Ahmar, to export large quantities of oil amounting to about 15 million barrels to Egypt. An oil pipeline may also originate from Basra to Aqaba.

The Prime Minister added that Iraq must continue with this approach, face internal and external crises, and work to resolve them through multi-track diplomacy that responds to new world’s developments.

“We have a comprehensive vision for resolving conflicts and building peace, and we call on internal and external parties to play it, and to move together towards achieving a comprehensive and lasting peace” concluded Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi.