Iraq, Saudi Arabia to boost medical ties, says minister

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iraq are set to jointly establish medical centers and pharmaceutical factories, as the two neighbors’ relations warm further, according to a minister.

Several health centers will be established through Saudi grants across numerous Iraqi provinces, according to the Minister of Health Saleh Al-Hasnawi, speaking to the country’s state media.

Iraqi and Saudi companies are similarly working on establishing pharmaceutical factories, he added.

Several high-level meetings have taken place between the two ministries on the projects, according to Al-Hasnawi, adding the medical field as another aspect of warmed-up ties between Riyadh and Baghdad.

Baghdad seeks to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s medical experience, the minister said, without elaborating further details on the nature of the projects or their costs.

The Saudi Investment Fund has allocated $3 billion for investments in various sectors in Iraq.

The bilateral ties have been strengthened by Saudi pledges of investment in various Iraqi sectors, particularly as the fight against the so-called Islamic State waned in 2017.

The neighboring countries experienced rocky relations following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

In a bid to normalize its damaged ties with regional countries, Iraq has tried to boost its diplomatic engagement, particularly with the two historical Middle Eastern rivals: Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Baghdad had hosted at least five rounds of talks between Riyadh and Tehran before the two former foes officially reconciled through Chinese mediation in March.