Mustafa Al Kadhimi is the former Prime Minister of Iraq. Having come to office at a moment of significant economic upheaval for the country, Prime Minister Al Kadhimi is credited with playing a pivotal role in steering the country back to economic growth and prosperity. This article will look at the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development and Mustafa Al Kadhimi’s instrumental role in the talks, which led to the consolidation of Iraqi–Saudi relations.
In a speech at the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development staged in July 2022, Prime Minister Moustafa Al Kazemi sought to promote dialogue and cooperation between countries. Acknowledging sensitive regional and international challenges, he expressed his hopes and aspirations that cooperation efforts might build bridges of trust, encouraging dialogue across the region to achieve a safe and stable environment that guarantees a decent life for all.
Al Kadhimi reflected that Iraq, in cooperation with its neighbours, friends and brothers, had played a key role in the victory over ISIS. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that there still remained work to be done in terms of uprooting terrorism, which called for strengthened national, regional and international efforts to develop comprehensive strategies to combat terrorism and cut off its sources of financing.
Prime Minister Al Kadhimi also reflected on the threats posed by climate change, particularly the water crisis. He also touched on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact in the region, calling for countries to move together and unite to confront the emergence and spread of pandemics.
Al Kadhimi reflected on the crisis in the Ukraine, urging for intensification of regional and international discourse to unify efforts to find solutions to ensure food security. He expressed Iraq’s desire to strengthen the environment of dialogue across the Middle East, pointing out that the atmosphere of economic cooperation and security coordination across the region directly served the interests of the people.
In his address at the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development, Al Kadhimi discussed tripartite meetings between Iraq, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Arab Republic of Egypt that produced a common vision designed to broaden the horizons of cooperation and integration in various fields. In addition, Mustafa Al Kadhimi explained how Iraq and the GCC countries had taken important steps to strengthen relations aimed at achieving integration in various fields. To that end, Mustafa Al Kadhimi confirmed that Iraq had confirmed two electrical interconnection agreements with GCC countries and Saudi Arabia and continued to link electricity with Egypt and Jordan.
Addressing esteemed delegates and policymakers from across the Middle East, Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi highlighted Iraqi contributions to promoting cooperation, dialogue and partnership across the region. He pledged Iraq’s commitment to removing nuclear weapons from the region, establishing a safe zone in both the interests of the region and the world at large. Mustafa Al Kadhimi also highlighted the need to find a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to Palestine in a manner that meets the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people, ensuring an end to the violations and aggression.
Turning to the Yemeni truce, Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi expressed his hope that this would prove to be a fruitful start to the end of the Yemini crisis, restoring stability and supporting regional and international initiatives aimed at ending the conflict. He also expressed Iraq’s support for regional and international efforts to end the Lebanese crisis and stop humanitarian suffering in Syria.