IRAQ’S AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE MEETS CO-HEAD OF THE DEPUTY GROUP OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE FOR INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS WITH THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ

On February 23, 2021 His Excellency Mr. Bakir Ahmed Al-Jaff, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iraq to Ukraine met at the Embassy’s headquarters with Co-Head of the Deputy Group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Inter-parliamentary relations with the Republic of Iraq, Deputy Andrii Bohdanets.

At the beginning of the meeting H.E. Mr. Ambassador welcomed the Esteemed Guest and reviewed the most significant developments of the political situation in Iraq, especially the ongoing preparations for holding parliamentary elections in October 2021, stressing the importance of speeding up the convening of the meetings of the Iraqi-Ukrainian Joint Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation during the current year, intensifying the exchange of visits between officials of Iraq and Ukraine and taking practical steps to develop trade and economic relations between the two countries, pointing out that Iraq holds a comprehensive international Fair in Baghdad annually in October, and Ukrainian companies can participate in it. H.E. Mr. Ambassador Al-Jaff also emphasized the importance of overcoming obstacles faced by the Iraqi community in Ukraine, and called upon the Ukrainian side to facilitate entry procedures for Iraqis to Ukraine, particularly students studying in different educational institutions of Ukraine.

For his part, Co-Head of the Deputy Group of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Inter-parliamentary relations with the Republic of Iraq, Deputy Bohdanets confirmed that his group had previously invited its counterpart in the Council of  Representatives of Iraq (Iraqi Parliament) to visit Ukraine, after the stabilization of the epidemic situation of Coronavirus pandemic, noting the possibility of organizing a visit of Ukrainian Parliamentary Delegation to Iraq to explore opportunities for cooperation, that can be used advantageously in the interests of the two countries, in particular importation of some Iraqi products, in exchange for determining Iraq’s needs from the Ukrainian side. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Bogdanets expressed gratitude to H.E. Ambassador Al-Jaff for the warm reception and hospitality, and highly appreciated the personal contribution of H.E. Ambassador and Embassy staff to the development of bilateral relations between Iraq and Ukraine in various fields, particularly in the parliamentary area.