SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani embarked on an official journey from Baghdad to the United States on Saturday, accompanied by a delegation representing both the government and parliament, as well as members from the private sector, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
The visit comes in response to an invitation extended by US President Joe Biden, signifying a pivotal moment in diplomatic relations between the two nations.
During the visit, discussions will encompass various bilateral matters, with a significant emphasis on security and defense cooperation between the US and Iraq, according to Reuters, citing a senior State Department official, adding that while integral, these issues won’t take center stage during the visit.
Sudani’s visit coincides with ongoing discussions between the Iraqi government and the US aimed at concluding the mission of the US-led coalition forces in the country.
It is also expected that one of the topics of Sudani’s meetings with US officials will include discussions on the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad, as well as the progress made between the two parties regarding the resumption of the Region’s oil exports.
Additionally, the agenda is expected to encompass talks on the salaries and financial entitlements of the Kurdistan Region as the US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller declared earlier that representatives from Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will participate in the discussions.
