Kuwait is the third destination of Al-Kadhimi‘s trip after Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The trip is in line with Iraq’s economic interests, and the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it targeted Kuwaiti investments through entering the Iraqi trade market.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a statement announcing that the Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait, Manhal al-Safi, met with Mohammed al-Saqr, head of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industries, during which the two sides discussed a number of issues, including preparations for Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s visit to Kuwait in the coming days.
The statement also said that Al-Manhal said that the Iraqi Prime Minister will meet with Kuwaiti businessmen to bring Kuwaiti investors into the Iraqi market and play an efficient and dynamic role in sustainable growth and development, as well as industrial and commercial investment.
The Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait also clarified that during his visit to Kuwait, Mustafa al-Kazemi will explore ways to grow and develop trade between the two countries in the light of the real desire to develop bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Al-Khaleej Online, in an article referring to Al-Kazemi’s imminent journey, states: Al-Kadhimi traveled to Saudi Arabia and the UAE last April and is currently seeking a visit to Kuwait. It seems that Al-Kazemi’s movements are in line with the support of the Persian Gulf countries for his country.
During al-Kadhimi’s visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman, Riyadh and Baghdad agreed to establish a $ 3 billion joint fund.
The Saudis said the fund is in line with economic investment in Iraq and in the interests of the Saudi and Iraqi economies, with the participation of the two countries’ private sectors.
Al-Khaleej Online wrote: The two sides stressed cooperation in the field of energy and the acceleration of the joint action plan under the umbrella of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council.
Al-Kadhimi’s visit to Saudi Arabia came after the reopening of the Arar border crossing between the two countries in November 2020, the same crossing that was closed following the Iraq-Kuwait war under Saddam.
In the UAE, al-Kadhimi was warmly welcomed by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, who announced a $ 3 billion investment in Iraq and announced that this is in line with strengthening economic and investment relations and creating new opportunities for cooperation and partnership.
Al-Khaleej Online wrote: Kuwait will be Al-Kazemi’s third destination after Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Al-Kadhimi’s imminent visit to Kuwait is in line with Iraq’s economic interests, and the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it aims to invest in Kuwait by entering the Iraqi trade market and playing an effective role in sustainable development and industrial and commercial investment.
Al-Kadhimi travels to Kuwait ahead of the Baghdad Regional Conference in late August 2021; A conference to which Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey and Iran have been invited, but the Iraqi government has not yet invited Syria to attend.
Other non-Iraqis, such as Egypt, Qatar and the UAE, are attending the conference, in addition to the United States, France and Britain.
Baghdad has also invited international institutions such as the European Union and the United Nations to work to restore Iraq’s role in the Arab world and in the region.
Iraq has previously hosted a summit of Egyptian and Jordanian leaders to discuss economic issues such as electricity and rail connections, as well as trade and agricultural co-operation, as well as cultural and educational co-operation and other aspects.
In an interview with Al-Khalij Online, Nazir al-Kanduri, an Iraqi political analyst, said that Al-Kadhimi’s visit to Kuwait has nothing to do with the Baghdad Regional Conference, but for economic reasons and to encourage Kuwait to invest in Iraq.
He expressed surprise at the Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit to Kuwait and said that the trip will take place before the Kuwaiti delegation arrives in Iraq to attend a regional conference, while it was possible to negotiate with the Kuwaiti delegation on the sidelines of the Baghdad regional conference.
He added that al-Kadhimi’s visit to Kuwait has other dimensions than economic, especially given that al-Kadhimi’s visits to the Cooperation Council member states have so far made no progress in investing inside Iraq.
Al-Kanduri concluded by citing a lack of security for foreign investment as the reason for GCC countries not investing in Iraq.