MoUs on cooperation between Syria and Iraq signed at the conclusion of the 11th session of the joint Syrian-Iraqi committee

The meetings of the 11th session of the joint Syrian-Iraqi committee were concluded on Wednesday evening at the Dama Rose Hotel in Damascus, during which memorandums of understanding for cooperation in the fields of health, higher education, scientific research and the organization of international exhibitions were signed.

The two sides also signed the minutes of the committee’s meetings, which reflected the results of its work over a period of three days, in the areas of trade, investment, banking, insurance, customs, industry, agriculture, energy, tourism, urban development, support for investors in many sectors, cooperation to face market fluctuations and crises, and support the private sector through the Syrian-Iraqi Business Council.

The two sides reviewed the investment opportunities available to both countries, and stressed the importance of following up on what was agreed upon in the previous session, especially in the industrial field. They discussed establishing partnerships between the industries federations in both countries.

The two sides expressed their interest in exchanging experiences in the field of quality, metrology and standards, accrediting examination laboratories for construction materials and opening prospects for dealing in this field. They also underlined the importance of holding joint exhibitions for building materials, equipment, engineering machinery that contributes to the reconstruction process.

In statements to reporters after the signing, the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Dr. Muhammad Samer Al-Khalil, noted that the minutes of the committee’s meetings included a comprehensive review of the reality of cooperation between the two countries in all economic, cultural, tourism, industrial, agricultural, health and energy fields. He indicated that there was an important response from the Iraqi side in a number of measures within one approach aims to develop the policy of trade exchange between the two countries and to start joint investment relations.

In his turn, the Minister of Health, Dr. Hassan Al-Ghobash, stated that the memorandum of understanding signed with the Iraqi side includes two basic items, the first is cooperation in the health field, and the second item is related to medicines. He said: “The Ministry of Health has been working on this issue for a while and we communicated with those concerned in the Iraqi Ministry of Health to reach this memorandum of understanding that is beneficial to the two brotherly countries and people.”

The memorandums of understanding and the minutes of the meetings were signed on behalf of the Iraqi side by the Iraqi Minister of Trade, Atheer Al-Ghurairy. The signing of the memorandums of understanding was also attended by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Bassam Ibrahim.

The Iraqi Minister of Trade arrived in Damascus on Tuesday at the head of a delegation that included representatives from the concerned authorities to participate in the meetings of the 11th session of the Syrian-Iraqi joint committee.

The committee’s agenda included a general assessment of the measures taken to implement what was stated in the minutes of the 10th session meetings that were held in Baghdad in 2021, and to discuss issues of joint cooperation in many areas, such as trade, investment, industry, agriculture, water resources, higher education, health and tourism.

Inas Abdulkareem