Baghdad's Trilateral Summit: regional crises in the atmosphere..economic cooperation on the horizon

Shafaq News/ After two postponements, the convention of Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan in the Trilateral Summit held in Iraq's capital city, Baghdad, clearly infers the keenness to bolster partnership ties that bind the three Arab countries and cherish the blossoming "Alliance" emerging from the summit.

The Baghdad Summit

According to the summit's concluding statement, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, hosted King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in a trilateral summit in Baghdad to discuss ways of cooperation, coordination, and strategic integration between the three countries, as part of the Trilateral cooperation mechanism that brings the three corresponding countries together.

The outcomes of this summit integrate the three leaders' efforts to boost joint efforts in all fields by building on the grounds set by previous summits, most recently the Amman Summit held on August 25, 2020.

Support and recognition

According to the final statement, the leaders of Jordan and Egypt praised the Iraqi government's, "poised diplomatic efforts in strengthening regional security and stability, its attempts to converge views and end the region's crises, the Iraqi government's efforts in fighting terrorism and deterring ISIS, as well as the sacrifices of the Iraqi people and the capabilities of their armed forces in defeating the terrorist organization, which contributed to preventing the threats it posed, establishing security in Iraq, and supporting stability in the region."

The leaders of Jordan and Egypt also praised, "the Iraqi government's steps towards implementing economic reforms and executing its government program, which has effectively contributed to overcoming the financial crisis caused by low oil prices and the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and laid the foundations for growth and prosperity for the Iraqi economy."

The Iraqi elections

The leaders of the two countries supported, "the Iraqi government's preparations for the parliamentary elections scheduled for next October and completing all its stages and requirements, which will contribute to the success of the electoral process and ensure its transparency in an atmosphere of fair competition for the selection of the people's representatives."

They also expressed support for, "the Iraqi government's efforts to consolidate Iraq's security, impose national sovereignty, and prevent interference in its internal affairs."

The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

For their part, the leaders of Iraq and Jordan supported "the positions of Egypt and Sudan in the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and stressed the need to refrain from any unilateral actions, including continuing to fill the Dam, without reaching a fair, comprehensive, and legally binding agreement on the rules of filling and operating the dam, in the interests of the three countries and preserving the water rights of Egypt and Sudan."

The Palestinian Cause

In the Baghdad summit, the three leaders stressed the need to, "activate efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace that meets all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and allows them to obtain their legitimate demands for an independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, per international law and resolutions of international legitimacy."

"Resolving the conflict based on resolutions of international legitimacy is the only way to achieve a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region," the leaders said, noting, "Israel must stop all actions that undermine the chances of achieving a just peace, including those aimed at changing the historical and legal situation in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites."

The leaders praised Egypt's role in, "ending the recent round of escalation in Gaza and halting Israeli military operations," expressing appreciation for "Egypt's determined efforts to stabilize the ceasefire and work to sustain the truce."

The leaders welcomed, "the Egyptian announcement of the Gaza Reconstruction Initiative as an initiative aimed at easing the suffering of the Gaza Strip's people as part of international efforts in this regard," praising Egypt's active role in "Palestinian reconciliation as an indispensable issue for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."

According to the final statement, the leaders of Iraq and Egypt expressed their appreciation for Jordan's "determined and ongoing efforts to stop Israeli violations and attacks in Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian territories. Including Jordan's efforts to stop recent Israeli attacks, initiate ceasefire, and restore the truce."

The Syrian Crisis

The three countries' leaders reviewed, "Current regional and international developments and efforts to find political solutions to crises in the region, particularly in Syria, following the relevant Security Council resolutions and approved references."

They also stressed the need to, "reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis based on Security Council Resolution 2245, which will preserve Syria's security, stability, and cohesion and provide the right conditions for the voluntary return of refugees."

Libyan Diplomacy

In a related context, the leaders welcomed the "Formation of Libya's new interim government, and the progress made so far", expressing their hopes to the Interim Presidential Council and the interim government for the successful management of the transition and their support for efforts to hold elections as scheduled on December 24, 2021.

In the final statement of their meeting, the leaders stressed the importance of "the departure of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya to restore the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability."

The leaders of Iraq and Jordan also praised Egypt's determined efforts to "support our Libyan brothers, converge their views, and ensure the security and stability of the situation in Libya."

The Yemen Crisis

On the other hand, the three leaders exchanged views on the developments and efforts to find political solutions to the crisis in Yemen pursuant to the approved references. They also backed the efforts of the United Nations to "reach a political solution that attains security and stability in Yemen."

The leaders laid emphasis on the "adherence to the principles of good neighborliness, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and pursuit of common interests."

The leaders also asserted the importance of "Continuing coordination and cooperation between the three countries in common interests, promoting joint Arab action, and maintaining security and stability in the region".

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis

The three leaders called to, "Adopt the best ways and mechanisms to implement strategic ties between the three countries on the ground, particularly the economic and vital ones, seek resource integration, and provide all possible facilities to increase the trade between them and enhance the efforts in the health, industrial, and pharmaceutical fields, particularly in light of the global repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on health, food, and economic security."

Security Coordination

The three leaders stressed the importance of "security and intelligence coordination between the three countries to combat terrorism, organized crime, and drugs, exchange experiences in the field of forensics and anti-cybercrime and infiltration, deter whoever supports terrorism by financing, arming, or providing shelters and media platforms."

They also stressed the importance of "completing the comprehensive battle against terrorism."

Economic Projects

The leaders of Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan, according to the summit's final statement, stressed the need to "follow the necessary procedures to commence the implementation of the Joint Iraqi-Jordanian Economic City project, complete the necessary requirements, and grant priority to companies from the three countries to participate in their construction tenders."

The leaders agreed upon the need to endorse the project of electrical linking and the exchange of electricity between the three countries, connect gas pipeline networks between Iraq and Egypt through Jordan, provide an outlet for exporting Iraqi oil through Jordan and Egypt by further completing the Arab gas line and establishing the crude oil transport line (Basra-Aqaba), cooperation in various fields of electric power projects, renewable energy, petrochemicals, exchange of expertise, and work to create an investment setting to support private sector companies to executing projects in the three countries.

Industrial City

The leaders expressed the need to, "Cooperate in various fields to promote industrial cooperation and integration between the three countries in various fields of productivity, Adopt the memorandum of understanding proposed by the Jordanian side to frame cooperation and industrial integration between the three countries, which include facilitating the establishment of joint industrial projects, setting joint permanent exhibitions on their land, overcoming technical trade barriers, and coordinating efforts to complete the establishment of an e-commerce portal."

Regional Marketing Company

The attendees highlighted the need for "cooperation in the agricultural field and food security by completing the project of a regional agricultural marketing company and signing the protocol for cooperation in agricultural areas".

They asserted the vitality of "encouraging investment in the housing sector, roads, bridges, and infrastructure in the three countries, building partnerships between business owners, investors, contracting companies, and engineering consultancy to contribute to the construction and providing the necessary facilities to promote the exchange of products and materials entering the construction sector."

Raising the level of trilateral cooperation

As part of their efforts to strengthen and raise levels of economic cooperation between the three countries, the leaders, according to the final statement, instructed "holding a business forum on the sidelines of the next meeting of the three countries industry and trade ministers, as it could not be held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

Travel and transportation

The leaders also agreed to "cooperate in the field of transportation via a previous agreement on the transportation of passengers between the three countries with a unified, comprehensive ticket and facilitating visa procedures, as well as joining the naval academies between the three countries."

The secretarial duties of the Trilateral cooperation mechanism will be transferred to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry from August for one year from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs in Jordan. This aligns with the leaders' decision at the 2020 Amman Summit on alternating the executive secretariat.

In conclusion, the leaders of Jordan and Egypt praised Iraq's efforts to organize the trilateral summit, its receptiveness, and hospitality.