Reports And AnalysisIraqBreakingEgyptThe GulfSisiThe Sudanese
2023-08-01 16:05Font
Shafaq News / The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington stressed that Iraq and Egypt are working to develop diplomacy between them and in the region in order to push for broader regional cooperation with Jordan, but the success of these efforts also requires working closely with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The American report, translated by Shafaq News, mentioned the second visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani to Cairo in less than 100 days, on June 13, 2023, accompanied by 11 ministers and dozens of Iraqi businessmen, pointing out that Iraq, Iraq and Egypt signed 11 memorandums of understanding to promote trade, tourism and investment, adding that the visit was part of a larger effort between Iraq, Egypt and Jordan focused on regional integration.
Over the years, the report said that the Iraqi-Egyptian relationship has witnessed stages of cooperation, competition and changing dynamics driven by the aspirations of the leadership, policies and regional conflicts, and that despite these complications, the two countries have realized the importance of continuing diplomatic engagement to explore ways of cooperation, noting that in 1963, Egypt and Iraq, along with Syria, sought to form an Arab regional alliance to enhance their security and stability and enhance their economic output through trade liberalization.
The report also added that in 1989, in an attempt to compete with the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Yemen established the so-called “Arab Cooperation Council,” but it did not last long because of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait the following year.
The report added that when the Iran-Iraq war drained Iraq’s workforce during the 1980s, Saddam Hussein’s regime lifted restrictions on visas on Egyptians and brought in 1.5 million Egyptian workers to keep the Iraqi economy going.
Recently, the two countries revived the Joint High Committee during a meeting held in October 2020 in Baghdad, where the two countries signed 15 cooperation agreements in areas including investment, industrial cooperation, trade, maritime transport, infrastructure and water. The report pointed out that the committee held its next meeting during Al-Sudani’s visit to Cairo in June and signed 11 agreements, which shows their determination to strengthen economic and political relations.
The report pointed out that Iraq is classified as a rentier state, with its heavy dependence on oil sales revenues, and therefore faces significant unemployment challenges affecting young people, which is a common issue in oil-rich countries as well, adding that despite the high unemployment rate, some citizens avoid accepting certain job opportunities because of the social stigma associated with low status roles. Therefore, the report pointed out that the Iraqi private sector resorted to employing more than 1.5 million foreign workers, including about 25,000 Egyptians.
The report added that within the framework of oil versus reconstruction, Cairo has plans to increase the number of Egyptian workers in Iraq to more than 1.5 million, in light of expectations that Egyptian investments will attract a large number of Egyptians to Iraq.
The report pointed out that conflict-torn Iraq needs foreign investment and employment to support in order to enhance reconstruction efforts, and therefore Egyptian investment and employment can play a vital role in this area.
He added that given the historical, cultural and linguistic ties, many Egyptian workers feel a deep connection to Iraq, which makes them well suited for integration into Iraqi society, and this close convergence can contribute significantly to the reconstruction process in Iraq, and enhance cooperation and gains for both Iraq and Egypt.
tripartite cooperation
The report stated that Al-Sudani’s visit to Egypt was also part of broader efforts by Iraq, Egypt and Jordan to establish a tripartite cooperation for regional integration, recalling that the leaders of the three countries met four times since 2019 to lay the foundation for an economic bloc, while the foreign ministers met in tripartite summits aimed at deepening cooperation. The Iraqi-Jordanian-Egyptian Coordination Council held its first meeting in September 2020.
He continued, saying that strengthening high-level diplomacy would highlight the magnitude of the commitment of Iraq, Egypt and Jordan to establish strong relations, and suggests that they want to deepen their relations by forming an economic alliance similar to that they formed with Yemen in 1989.
According to the report, such a project has economic, security and political considerations, including the electrical connection between the three countries, but the most important is what Baghdad, Cairo and Oman really want, which is restoring its previous status as major political, diplomatic and economic forces in Arab issues.
The report explained that while Iraq has a wealth of oil, decades of internal and regional conflict have weakened its infrastructure and economy, while Egypt, the largest population in the Arab world, has suffered from continuous economic difficulties in addition to the turmoil of the Arab Spring, while Jordan played an important role as a regional mediator, but the size of the country, its economy and geography have reduced its ability to highlight its strength at the regional level.
The report pointed out that while there may be nostalgic feelings for the past, as recently allemed to Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, the current reality poses severe social, political and economic challenges for Baghdad, Cairo and Oman that hinder their ability to exert their influence inside and outside their borders.
For these reasons, the report said that it is clear that maintaining relations with the GCC countries is very important for economic development and regional stability, noting that the strong economies of the GCC countries, the concentration of wealth and political stability, have given these countries an increasing regional and international rise.
He continued, saying that Iraq and Egypt witnessed the transfer of their historical roles in the Arab world to supporting roles due to the transfer of power and influence to the GCC countries.
The report considered that the possibility of an economic bloc that includes Egypt, Iraq and Jordan represents a promising opportunity to cooperate with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in a way that enhances economic interdependence, trade and investment, but this requires new thinking that excludes the destructive zero calculations that have repeatedly characterized the policies of the alliance in the Middle East.
The report called on the potential new bloc, in order to achieve its goals, to ensure that its initiatives and policies are in line with the interests of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The report concluded by saying that enhancing diplomatic engagement between Iraq, Egypt and Jordan contributes to the development of a more ambitious regional project and highlights the growing confidence, goals and common vision of these countries. He concluded that it serves as a clear indication of the efforts made by the three countries to establish a deeper and comprehensive partnership, which could benefit their people and the region as a whole.
“Continuing to work closely with the GCC countries even as these three countries build their new partnership represents the most direct – and probably the only – path to the success of this project,” he concluded.
Search 4 Dinar 