BAGHDAD: Iraqi prime minister appealed to visiting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday for closer trade and economic ties with his oil-rich country suffering from decaying infrastructure and power cuts.
Meloni leads Italy and is on her first bilateral visit outside Europe. She is on a pre-Christmas trip to Italian troops deployed in Iraq in support of an anti-extremist mission.
At a joint press conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed his disposition to develop economic cooperation with Italy in all fields, especially agriculture, water, and health.
He not only invited companies specialized in infrastructure to Iraq but also the exploitation of natural gas.
A government priority is stopping the highly polluting practice of gas flaring contributing to global warming. The United Nations (UN) says Iraq is one of the five countries most exposed to some impacts of growing climate change.
Italy’s oil company in Iraq
Italian oil company Eni has been involved in oil production and exploration in Iraq for over a decade. Part of its program “includes associated gas’ use for electricity generation,” the company says on its website.
Treated and captured flared gas could help address Iraq’s chronic power shortage issue.
Iraq is rich in oil but beset by infrastructure in endemic corruption, disrepair, and widespread unemployment after a US invasion overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein.
With an output of over 3.3 million barrels per day, Iraq is the world’s second-largest crude producer in the OPEC. – AFP/APP
