Al-Zaidi's visit to Washington represents an important milestone for testing the government's ability to balance economic issues and political pressures, as it seeks to attract investments and reposition Iraq regionally.
The announcement of the visit came during a meeting between Al-Zaidi and businessmen and representatives of the private sector and local banks, where he confirmed that the delegation would include economic figures with the aim of expanding mutual investment opportunities and economic partnerships between the two countries.
The visit is of particular importance as it is al-Zidi's first to Washington since assuming the premiership, and it comes months after an official invitation extended to him by US President Donald Trump following his appointment to form the government, when he spoke of a "new chapter" in relations between the two countries.
The visit also coincides with a period in which Baghdad is undergoing transformations on both the security and political levels, most notably the project to restrict weapons to the state and restructure armed factions, as well as the repercussions of regional tensions and the recent war between Iran and Israel and the economic and security challenges it has left for Iraq.
Messages that go beyond economics
For his part, Iraqi political affairs expert Majashaa Al-Tamimi said that “Al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington, accompanied by businessmen, has political dimensions that go beyond the direct economic aspect, especially since it comes at a stage that is witnessing the redrawing of many balances within the region.”
Al-Tamimi added that “through this visit, the Iraqi government is trying to present itself as a partner capable of building balanced relations with the United States without engaging in the politics of axes, and it also seeks to show that Iraq is open to investments and international partnerships according to the logic of common interests.”
He explained that “bringing businessmen along gives the visit a practical dimension and sends a message to the inside and outside that the government wants to move from traditional political discourse to focusing on the economy, development and job opportunities,” noting that “the visit also shows Baghdad’s desire to strengthen its regional and international position through stable relations with Washington.”
According to economists, the visit comes at an important time for Iraq, as it coincides with ongoing American pressure regarding the issue of armed factions and Iranian influence, as well as Baghdad’s need for economic and investment support to help it overcome the challenges imposed by the recent regional turmoil.
Partnerships and investments
On the economic side, the government affirms that the next phase will witness the launch of a development fund with substantial capital and participation from the central bank, in addition to plans to finance new productive and industrial projects aimed at diversifying the economy and reducing dependence on oil.
The anticipated visit coincided with one of the most difficult financial crises that Iraq has faced in recent years, following the disruption of oil export routes through the Strait of Hormuz and the accompanying disruption to oil revenues, which represent the backbone of the general budget.
Faced with this reality, Baghdad began searching for new funding sources through the World Bank and international lending institutions, in parallel with efforts to attract American and Western investments, in an attempt to mitigate the effects of the crisis and provide additional sources of support for the Iraqi economy.
Iraq is a promising market in energy, industry, housing, and infrastructure.
In this context, economic researcher Sarmad Al-Shammari said that “the visit represents an important opportunity for Iraq to reintroduce itself to American and international investors as a promising market with great opportunities in the energy, industry, housing and infrastructure sectors.”
He added that “the participation of businessmen in the government delegation gives the visit a clear economic character, because the government seeks to transform political relations with Washington into real investment partnerships that will be reflected in the local economy.”
He explained that “Iraq needs billions of dollars in investments in multiple sectors in the coming years, and it also needs the transfer of technology and administrative and industrial expertise, which makes the United States an important partner at this stage.”
He pointed out that “the success of the visit will be measured by the government’s ability to transform meetings and agreements into actual projects that provide job opportunities, support the private sector, and contribute to diversifying sources of income.”
The recent war has had direct repercussions on the investment environment in Iraq, after several foreign companies left or reduced their field presence, particularly in the oil, energy and services sectors. link
