A number of agreements and memorandums were signed during the amir’s visit to Iraq.

The United States has welcomed Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani’s visit to Iraq, praising Doha’s “active support” in the country.

“We welcome the visit of Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Baghdad on June 15. The United States fully supports Iraq’s sovereignty, independence, and increasing integration into the Gulf Cooperation Council and broader Arab region,” Adam Hodge, Acting White House National Security Council Spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday.

The amir’s visit to Iraq is his first since 2021 and comes months after Mohammed Shia Al Sudani became the country’s prime minister.

During the visit, Sheikh Tamim and Al Sudani discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations with a particular focus on economy, investment and energy. The amir also confirmed a $5 billion investment into Iraq in the coming years.

Commenting on the visit, the NSC official praised the region’s support towards Baghdad’s efforts in energy self-sufficiency through electricity grids linked to the GCC and Jordan.

Launched last week, the GCC and Iraq project will help the latter satisfy its electric power demand by supplying 500 megawatts (MW). Last month, an Iraqi official confirmed that the supplies between Iraq and Jordan will begin on 1 July.

Discussions over the project took place in Riyadh last year during US President Joe Biden’s visit for the GCC+3 summit.

“Both of these infrastructure projects were components of President Biden’s visit to the Middle East last year, and are now being achieved with active US facilitation and support,” Hodge said.

The Washington official also noted the US and Qatar’s partnership in TotalEnergies’ $27 billion energy projects.

“Additionally, the landmark project signed earlier this year with TotalEnergies together with US and Qatari companies includes natural gas capture, a project that will serve the needs of the Iraqi people while reducing emissions,” Hodge added.

Concluding the statement, Hodge welcomed the active support of Qatar’s amir, Iraq’s prime minister and “other leaders in the region and the Iraqi people.”

“We also welcome the participation of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in these discussions to further enhance coordination between Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdistan region,” he said.

Agreements and MOU’s

A number of agreements and memorandums were signed during the amir’s visit to Iraq.

The two countries signed an agreement over air transport services, another on maritime transport, as well as a joint declaration of intent between Doha and Baghdad. 

The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) over cancelling travel visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports from Qatar and Iraq.

Another MoU entailed ​the cooperation to establish a joint company to build and operate oil tankers that carry crude oil and petroleum products, including the establishment of a 150,000 daily barrel production oil refinery in Iraq.

With energy being a major part of the visit, Qatar and Iraq signed an MoU on cooperation to supply the latter with liquefied gas. 

Qatar-based Estithmar Holding also signed three agreements worth $7 billion with the National Investment Commission in Iraq, covering real estate, tourism and hospitality, as well as management and operation of several hospitals.

The first Memorandum of Understanding includes the development of two modern residential cities designed to respond to a shortage in housing estimated at two million units, Vice Chairman of Estithmar Holding Ramez Al-Khayyat said, according to a statement sent to Doha News on Friday.

“The cities will be planned in accordance with the international standards and will include residential complexes, villas, schools, commercial complexes, entertainment centres, and other facilities and services, in addition to all the basic infrastructure,” he said.

The second agreement sets a framework for cooperation to develop 5 star hotels in distinct locations across Iraq that are expected to contribute to meeting rising demands in the Iraqi hospitality sector.

Al-Khayyat said the third MoU signed by Elegancia Healthcare, a subsidiary of Estithmar Holding, will manage and operate a number of hospitals in Iraq and provide high-level medical services to locals in the country.

The projects are expected to begin by the end of 2023, he added.