French president to visit Baghdad ‘soon’, says premier’s office

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit the Iraqi capital Baghdad “soon”, the Iraqi premier’s office announced on Tuesday.

President Macron announced his visit during a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, according to a statement from the premier’s office.

The press release did not elaborate further on the European president’s arrival in Baghdad. If undertaken, the visit will be the third of its kind by Macron to Iraq, with which Paris has deepened its ties in recent years.

Macron and al-Sudani discussed the purchase of the French radar system, Thales, of which Baghdad had begun its installment to protect its airspace.

The two leaders highlighted the preparations for the Baghdad 2023 Conference on Economic Integration and Regional Cooperation, which Iraq will host by the end of the year.

Al-Sudani extended his condolences over the killing of a French special forces member in Iraq on Monday during an anti-ISIS fight in Saladin province.

France has actively taken part in both versions of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership. The regional gathering was first held in Baghdad in 2021 with French support. Jordan hosted the second conference a year later.

In early 2023, al-Sudani visited Paris and met with the country’s top officials, with whom he had signed a memorandum of understanding.

As part of Chammal's operation, France has been an integral part of the US-led Coalition against ISIS since 2014.