Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi will begin an official visit to France on September 13 at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron, the PM’s media office said on Friday evening.
Al-Zaidi and Macron will discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest and ways to strengthen relations between Iraq and France.
Both leaders will chair expanded talks between the Iraqi and French delegations on new partnerships and bilateral cooperation. They will also oversee the signing of several memoranda of understanding across multiple sectors.
Earlier today, a source told Shafaq News that Al-Zaidi plans to travel to the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly after completing a European tour that includes France and Germany. Efforts are also underway to arrange a meeting with US President Donald Trump, the source added.
Al-Zaidi’s government program sets out a foreign policy centered on balanced relations and cooperation, with the aim of keeping Iraq away from regional and international rivalries. Since taking office, he has visited the United States, Iran, Turkiye and Qatar. A planned visit to Saudi Arabia was canceled after joint Saudi-US strikes on Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) headquarters in Iraq killed at least 20 members and wounded 32 others.