MPs and politicians: Al-Zaidi's participation in UN meetings an opportunity to boost Iraq's international presence and attract investments

Baghdad – Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper

MPs and politicians confirmed on Sunday the importance of Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi's participation in the United Nations General Assembly meetings, calling it an opportunity to strengthen Iraq's presence on the international stage, expand its economic relations and attract investments and global companies. They said investment, energy, technology and infrastructure files will be among the most prominent areas Iraq can raise during the anticipated meetings in New York.

The prime minister's visit coincides with the opening of the eighty-first session of the UN General Assembly in New York, which opened on September 8. The high-level general debate begins on September 22 and continues until the 28th of the month, with participation from heads of state, heads of government and high-level representatives.

Government spokesperson Haider Al-Aboudi confirmed that Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi will visit the United States this week to attend the UN General Assembly meetings, and that the visit will include a meeting with US President Donald Trump and other heads of state.

Al-Aboudi told Al-Iraqiya News: "The prime minister will visit the United States next week to attend the UN General Assembly meeting and will deliver Iraq's speech," noting that "the visit's schedule will include meetings with the US president and other heads of state."

He added that "the prime minister's activity embodies the strategic relations between Iraq and other countries," noting that "the prime minister will attend a meeting of the US Chamber of Commerce as part of efforts to sustain economic and trade relations between the two countries."

Al-Aboudi stressed that "September 30 represents an important sovereign milestone, after which the relationship with Washington will move toward long‑term economic cooperation."

MP Shaker al-Tamimi said, "The prime minister's participation in UN meetings is a good step and represents an image of Iraq and the new current government," adding that "the prime minister's moves are progressing day by day toward strengthening external relations with major countries."

Al-Tamimi added that "UN meetings provide an opportunity for the prime minister to meet world leaders and invite them to work and invest in Iraq in ways that serve Iraq and Iraqis, as well as to strengthen economic ties and open horizons for global companies to operate in the country."

He pointed out that "the prime minister's movements, both domestic and foreign, are aimed at enhancing Iraq's position," noting that "the prime minister's steps toward organizing the issue of weapons represent good measures."

MP Khalid Sido al-Khalidi said: "The prime minister's visit to New York and his participation in the UN General Assembly meetings represent an important political station for Iraq, especially since attendance at this international forum allows Baghdad to move on more than one track, whether in strengthening its international relations or presenting its priorities and interests to the international community."

He added that "the importance of the visit is not limited to participation in the General Assembly meetings only, but also to what may result from them in terms of understandings and agreements that directly serve Iraq," stressing "the need for meetings to focus on files Iraq actually needs, foremost among them investment, energy, technology, infrastructure, education and health, in addition to developing economic partnerships and opening new markets for Iraqi products."

He continued that "Iraq needs to move from the stage of general political relations to the stage of partnerships that produce clear commitments and implementable projects," noting that "concluding necessary agreements with countries and international institutions can contribute to supporting the economy, diversifying sources of income, attracting global companies and transferring expertise and technology to the country."

He indicated that "Iraq has great opportunities to expand its international presence, but benefiting from them requires setting clear priorities and negotiating agreements that achieve mutual interests, with timelines for implementation and follow-up, so that the outcomes of foreign visits do not remain confined to non‑binding statements and understandings."

He affirmed that "the upcoming phase requires a more effective economic diplomacy that makes international relations a means to support development, provide job opportunities, improve services and enhance Iraq's standing," noting that "the prime minister's participation in UN meetings can be an opportunity to present Iraqi investment and economic projects to the international community and build long‑term channels of cooperation with countries, companies and international institutions."

MP Murad Ismail said that "Iraq's participation at a high executive level reflects the country's desire to be an important international actor, especially given the abnormal security and geopolitical situation the region is going through."

He added that "the prime minister has a task to attract international investments and build a private sector that contributes to emerging from the economic crisis."

In the same context, political and strategic affairs expert Hussein Allawi said: "The prime minister's visit to the United States and participation in the UN General Assembly meetings indicate progress in foreign policy toward integration with global issues in areas of development, dialogue, technology, conflict resolution and ending wars, and in encouraging an environment of international peace, as well as engaging with issues like artificial intelligence and climate change among other topics on the eighty‑first session's agenda."

Allawi added that "meetings with world leaders will allow the prime minister to speak about developmental and investment projects in Iraq, as well as to place Iraq on the international agenda in the work of international organizations, the United Nations and its bodies and agencies, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, development institutions and global companies."

He continued that "participation in the US Chamber of Commerce meetings in New York and discussing the investment map in Iraq would support the national economy, improve investment levels and develop the energy and real economy sectors," noting that "attracting investments will reflect on the Iraqi labor market by creating job opportunities in these projects."

Political analyst Haider al-Barzanji said: "The UN General Assembly meetings are important international forums attended by a large number of world leaders and heads of state, and they allow the delivery of multiple messages about the country's situation, as well as bilateral meetings and conveying Iraq's voice and its upcoming strategy."

He added that "the issue of weapons regulation is an important and fundamental file, and dialogues are ongoing in this regard," pointing out that "the Iraqi economy is a top priority in order to reach a stage of stability and development."

Al-Barzanji said he "expects an announcement during the visit, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, about the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Bashiqa and from Iraq in general," expressing his belief that "by the end of the year the foreign presence on Iraqi soil will be ended."

Writer and political researcher Ibrahim al-Abadi said that "the prime minister is making efforts to confront the challenges facing the Iraqi state at this stage, in light of the repercussions of the US‑Iran war, regional instability and increasing security and economic pressures."

He added that "the government program under which Al-Zaidi's government won the confidence of parliament stipulates following up main priorities, foremost among them the restriction of weapons, addressing the financial crisis, shielding Iraq from the war's repercussions and maintaining growing and friendly relations with countries around the world, in ways that enhance Iraq's sovereignty and achieve its national interests."

He pointed out that "the prime minister's foreign visits are necessary at this stage if their outcomes provide Iraq with a better understanding of its internal and external policies and push toward fruitful cooperation with regional and international powers," noting that "obtaining financial support, encouraging investments and widening the economic umbrella are linked to gaining partners' and friends' trust, coordinating with them and turning problems into opportunities."

Dean of the College of Political Science at Al‑Nahrain University, Osama Murtada al‑Saidi, said that "the visit comes within the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly, where kings and presidents deliver their speeches to express their orientations and ambitions on both the domestic and foreign levels."

He added that "the meetings also represent an important opportunity to meet world leaders at this forum, and are an important occasion and platform for Iraqi diplomacy and for Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaidi to express the aspirations and ambitions of the Iraqi people."

Earlier, government spokesperson Haider Al‑Aboudi had announced that Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al‑Zaidi will visit the United States to attend the UN General Assembly meetings and deliver Iraq's speech, noting that the visit's schedule includes meetings with US President Donald Trump and other heads of state, as well as attending a US Chamber of Commerce meeting to work on sustaining economic and trade relations.

The general debate of the eighty‑first session is being held at UN headquarters in New York from September 22 to 26 and resumes on the 28th, under the slogan "Restoring trust, managing transition: United Nations in service of all." The week's high‑level events include development, climate action, health, peace and security and other international issues.