Al Sisi’s visit to Iraq first by an Egyptian president in 3 decades

Cairo: Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sisi Sunday arrived in Baghdad on the first visit by an Egyptian head of state to Iraq since Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

The visit is part of Al Sisi’s participation in a trilateral summit bringing him together with Jordanian King Abdullah II and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi.

Leaders of the three countries initiated regular meetings since March 2019, boosting relations in various domains.

On arrival in Baghdad, Al Sisi held separate meetings with Iraqi President Barham Salih and Al Kadhimi ahead of the tripartite meeting focusing on boosting economic and security cooperation .

“The President’s historic visit to Baghdad, the first by an Egyptian president in 30 years, reflects the strength of historical relations between Egypt and Iraq,” Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said.

“It emphasises Egypt’s keenness to enhance and develop these relations towards vaster prospects within the framework of the oneness of destiny and challenges,” he added.

In Baghdad, Al Sisi, who took office in 2014 hailed Iraq’s efforts to promote security and stability and combat terrorism.

In late 2017, Iraq declared victory over the Daesh terrorists and regaining all the Iraqi territory earlier grabbed by the militant group.

The Iraqi premier Sunday welcomed Al Sisi and the Jordanian monarch, saying in a tweet that their talks “lay the foundation for a future befitting” people of the three countries based on cooperation and integration.

The summit was originally scheduled for March, but was postponed twice due to a deadly train crash in Egypt and Jordan’s reporting of foiling a destabilising plot in the monarchy.