Ali Al-Saidi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, during his official visit to Berlin, invited German companies to participate in the reconstruction projects of his country. He also proposed exporting crude oil to Germany and establishing a pipeline for this purpose.
Invitation to German Companies
Ali Al-Saidi announced after meeting with German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, that "German companies are welcome." He added that German companies and others can operate sustainably in Iraq. Iraq, with its abundant raw resources and large workforce, needs German technology and expertise.
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Diversification in Oil Exports
The Prime Minister of Iraq pointed out that this cooperation will not be one-sided and that he has made proposals for oil exports. Traditionally, Iraq exports its oil to East Asia, but Al-Saidi is calling for diversification in export markets. The existence of a pipeline to Turkey and Syria, as well as the desire to export oil through the Mediterranean to France, are among the options discussed.
Al-Saidi further stated: "Our vision is to double our oil production. We want to reach a production of 9 to 10 million barrels per day." He also emphasized that half of this amount should be exported to Europe and the West.
Mutual Cooperation
The governments of Iraq and Germany agreed on an operational plan to develop their cooperation. Merz said: "Germany is interested in a strong and prosperous Iraq." This also includes establishing "good relations" between Baghdad and the Kurds in the north of the country. Many German companies are currently active in Iraq and are developing new solutions, including in the fields of energy supply and waste management.
As a good example, Merz referred to the agreement between the Iraqi government and Siemens Energy regarding electricity supply, which was signed after the press conference. The German Chancellor also emphasized the importance of suitable conditions for Western companies' investment in Iraq and added: "We want to make progress in fighting corruption and achieve a more transparent and efficient administration based on the rule of law." Merz announced that Iraq can count on Germany's support in this regard.
