AL-SUDANI’S VISIT.. A TURNING POINT IN IRAQI-BRITISH RELATIONS
Since the moment Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s plane landed at Stansted Airport east of the capital, London, 111 years have passed since Iraqi-British relations, which began with the defeat of the Ottoman army in the Basra garrison in 1914, and continued until 1918 with the expulsion of the last Ottoman soldier from Kirkuk, thus announcing the end of five centuries of control and tyranny. This relationship, which began with the British occupation, has developed over the decades to take a different form in the modern era.
The visit, which may be the most prominent in the history of Iraqi-British relations, began with a meeting with King Charles III at Windsor Palace and ended with a meeting with the Iraqi community. During 96 hours, the visit included: holding intensive economic meetings with more than 46 companies in various fields, signing 25 agreements and memoranda of understanding in various fields, in addition to (33) political, diplomatic and media activities, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Office.
Al-Sudani was accompanied by a large ministerial and economic delegation that included about 70 Iraqi businessmen and investors, who participated in bilateral meetings that focused on various economic sectors. The visit, which coincided with an exceptional reality that the Middle East is going through, witnessed important meetings with government officials and leaders of financial, industrial and technical institutions, in addition to major companies specialized in armament and security, for which the United Kingdom is known worldwide.
In the field of energy, Al-Sudani met with representatives of major British companies, including Shell Oil Company, Stellar Energy, and Technip Energy. He also met with UGT Renewable Energy and General Electric (GE). During the visit, a memorandum of understanding was also signed with British Petroleum (BP) to develop oil extraction and exploit associated gas from several fields of the North Oil Company, such as the “Jambur”, “Kirkuk”, “Bai Hassan”, and “Khabbaz” fields.
These steps represent a major step towards achieving self-sufficiency in the field of gas and expanding the production and export capacity of oil and its derivatives.
In addition to the above, the visit included the signing of a broad partnership and cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom. This agreement constitutes the core of the visit’s objectives and strengthens relations between Iraq and the major powers that have the right to “veto” within the UN Security Council.
It is not unlikely that the visit caused a clear setback for some parties in the region or even inside Iraq, especially those who were promoting the scenario that Iraq would be the “next target” after Lebanon, but the Iraqi government showed early awareness of the danger of entering into the region’s conflicts, and was keen to avoid slipping into its raging fires. This position, coupled with clear humanitarian and political support for Lebanon and Palestine, contributed to consolidating Iraq’s stability, away from the destructive scenarios witnessed by other countries in the region.
After more than a year of escalation and risks, Iraq’s position has become clearer at the strategic level. This visit, which combined diplomatic and economic activity, strengthened Iraq’s unity and stability. In short: The visit confirms that Iraq, by adopting a balanced foreign policy, is able to achieve its national interests and enhance its position in the international arena.
