Foreign Minister Meets with his Dutch Counterpart

Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein met with his Dutch counterpart Mr. Stef Blok and several officials and diplomats in The Hague on Monday evening, 26/10/2020. And they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the interest of the two friendly peoples.

 Minister Fuad Hussein thanked his Dutch counterpart for the generous invitation, and gave a brief presentation of the developments in the situation in Iraq, and the government’s efforts to address the many challenges, including those related to the Corona virus pandemic and its economic repercussions that contributed to the decline in oil prices.

Minister Fuad Hussein stressed that the government has plans to hold early parliamentary elections, reform the economic system, and fulfill the demands of the demonstrators.

The Minister also praised the support provided by the Dutch side to Iraq in confronting Da’esh terrorist entity within the framework of the Global Coalition, stating the importance of continuing support and training of Dutch experts to the Iraqi forces, and strengthening economic, scientific and cultural cooperation.

On his part, Mr. Blok thanked Minister Fuad Hussein for accepting the invitation, and expressed the Dutch government’s aspiration to strengthen cooperation with Iraqi institutions, especially on priority issues for the two countries in the sectors of energy, agriculture, water, and education, in a way that will positively affect job creation and achieve development in Iraq.

The two Ministers also touched on a number of regional and international issues of common concern, stressing the need to work to end conflicts and achieve de-escalation in the region, and to avoid escalation that will not serve any party.

Iraqi Ambassador Hisham Al-Alawi and a number of diplomatic staff at the embassy attended the meeting, the Iraqi Ambassador praised the support provided by the Dutch Foreign Ministry to train diplomatic staff of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry through special courses organized by the Clingendael Institute for International Relations in The Hague, as well as the positive contribution of Dutch companies operating in Iraq, especially Shell, working in the field of Investment of gas associated with crude oil extraction operations in a number of southern oil fields, which operates in partnership with the “Basra Gas Company” in addition to Boskalis, which obtained a contract from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to establish an artificial island in the Iraqi territorial waters in the Gulf to increase the storage and export capabilities of Iraqi oil , stressing that the coming period will witness a growth in bilateral cooperation, especially in the sectors of agriculture, water and higher education.