President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Sunday the Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Mohamed Al-Halbousi, in the presence of Advisor Hanafi Jebali, the Speaker of the Council of Representatives, and Ambassador Ahmed Al-Dulaimi, the Iraqi Ambassador in Cairo. Advisor Ahmed Fahmi, the official spokesperson for the Presidency, said that the President confirmed the special nature of Egyptian-Iraqi relations and Egypt's keenness to continue strengthening cooperation between the two countries in all fields, on various official and popular levels. This is especially in light of the current momentum in bilateral relations and the exchange of visits by senior officials of the two countries, both bilaterally and through the mechanism of trilateral cooperation with the Kingdom of Jordan. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry also met with Mohamed Al-Halbousi at the Foreign Ministry headquarters. Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Foreign Minister expressed his aspiration to strengthen joint cooperation in a way that promotes the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples within the framework of the historical relations, brotherhood, self-determination, and common goals. Shoukry reiterated Egypt's full support for Iraq's security and stability and its efforts in the war on terrorism. He also stressed the importance of the role of parliament in strengthening relations between Egypt and Iraq, expressing satisfaction with the cooperation between the two countries' legislative institutions. Additionally, Shoukry referred to the directives of President Al-Sisi to push cooperation with brotherly Iraq to its highest level, praising the tangible development of bilateral relations between the two countries within the framework of the mechanism of trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan. "Egypt viewed such cooperation from a comprehensive strategic perspective to link common interests and maximize the benefits to all parties, and looked forward to the early implementation of the joint projects agreed upon within the framework of the mechanism," said the spokesperson. The Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his hope that the Egyptian-Iraqi Joint Higher Committee would convene at the level of the two countries' prime ministers in Cairo in the near future. He also pointed to Egypt's interest in responding to Iraqi requests for Egyptian companies to participate in reconstruction projects in Iraq, in light of the extensive experience of Egyptian companies, taking into consideration the fact that a number of projects have already been started. For his part, the Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives expressed his full appreciation for Egypt's pivotal role in the security and stability of the entire region, praising Egypt's continuous support for his country. He also stressed Iraq's keenness to continue to push forward the established bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and to promote cooperation as a successful model for Arab cooperation, both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the mechanism of trilateral cooperation. The meeting also touched on a number of international and regional issues of common interest and challenges facing the region. It was also agreed at the end of the meeting to continue consultation and coordination at all levels between officials of the two brotherly countries and push bilateral relations to wider horizons.
