Iraqi PM Al-Zaidi Visits Jordan for Talks With King Abdullah II

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi departed for Jordan on Monday, Oct. 26, for talks with King Abdullah II and the expected signing of memoranda of understanding on economic and development cooperation.

Iraqi government spokesperson Haider Aboudi announced the visit, saying the prime minister would discuss bilateral cooperation and developments across the region with the Jordanian monarch. The talks will also address what Aboudi described as responsibilities shared by states in responding to regional challenges.

The planned agreements are intended to support joint programs and development projects benefiting both countries, according to the spokesperson. He did not specify how many memoranda would be signed or the timetable for their implementation.

The visit comes as Baghdad and Amman seek to build on an established economic relationship while maintaining consultations on regional security. Existing cooperation covers energy, trade and industry, areas in which the two governments have reached agreements in recent years.

Aboudi said the timing of al-Zaidi's visit reflected a common approach to widening dialogue among Arab countries and across the region. He linked those consultations to efforts to pursue solutions that protect security and stability, describing cooperation between Iraq and Jordan as part of that broader objective.

Economic cooperation provides a practical foundation for the discussions. One of the projects pursued by both countries is the interconnection of their electricity grids, an initiative that forms part of efforts to strengthen energy ties.

The two governments have also worked toward establishing a joint industrial zone, reflecting their interest in expanding cooperation beyond existing commercial exchanges. The proposed oil pipeline linking Iraq's southern city of Basra with the Jordanian port of Aqaba has likewise featured repeatedly in bilateral discussions.

Those projects remain important reference points for relations between the neighbors, although Monday's announcement did not establish whether any of them would be covered by the memoranda expected during this visit.

The government has presented the trip as both an economic engagement and an opportunity for political consultation. Talks with King Abdullah II are expected to cover regional developments alongside the bilateral agenda, while the anticipated memoranda would provide a framework for additional cooperation.

Further details on the agreements, including their scope and implementation, have yet to be announced. The memoranda were described as forthcoming at the time of the prime minister's departure, rather than as agreements already signed.