Iraqi PM arrives in Kuwait ahead of regional Baghdad summit

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi arrived in Kuwait on Sunday morning on an official visit ahead of his country’s hosting of a regional summit scheduled to take place at the end of August.

Iraq is preparing to host a regional summit dubbed the “Iraqi Neighboring Countries Conference” in its capital of Baghdad, to which leaders of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey are invited, according to Iraqi officials who spoke to the media.

French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to take part in the conference, having reportedly confirmed his participation in a phone call with Kadhimi in early August.

The Iraqi premier’s visit to Kuwait, according to a tweet from his office on Sunday, is intended “to strengthen cooperation and bilateral relations with various countries.” 

Kadhimi’s diplomatic agenda while meeting with Kuwaiti authorities. is expected to focus on economics, politics, energy, and investment.

In June, Kadhimi hosted President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II in what was commonly referred to as the Baghdad Tripartite Summit.

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In the coming weeks, officials in Baghdad are also planning to play the dual roles of both host and mediator to bitter regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Editing by John J. Catherine