Iraqi PM in France to discuss energy and security with Macron

Mohammed Shia Al Sudani faces an economic crisis back home

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al Sudani landed in France on Thursday. AFP

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani landed in France on Thursday to hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron on security and energy issues as his country is gripped by an economic crisis.

Mr Macron has visited Iraq twice since taking office in 2017 and an shown an interest in the country. He said last month that Baghdad must follow a path that is not “dictated from outside”.

Mr Sudani said he wanted to “activate the agreements” between oil-rich Iraq and France “particularly in the transport, energy and investment sectors”, in a written statement to AFP.

French giant TotalEnergies in 2021 signed a $10 billion contract with Baghdad, but work on the multiple projects is yet to begin.

They include construction of oil and gas processing facilities with the capacity for electricity production, along with a one-gigawatt photovoltaic power plant.

Despite being home to a wealth of hydrocarbon reserves, Iraq's neglected electricity grid is dilapidated and a victim of the country's rampant corruption, with power cuts lasting for hours.

Neighbouring Iran currently supplies a third of Iraq's gas and electricity, and Baghdad is seeking greater energy independence.

Mr Al Sudani's coalition government, formed in October, is supported by pro-Iranian parties, which hold a majority in Iraq's parliament.

Security will also be discussed, with Mr Sudani expected to talk about the “training and development of Iraqi security capabilities, as well as in the field of arms purchases”.

Baghdad has also taken a role as a mediator between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, after diplomatic relations between the countries froze in 2016.

The last meetings took place in April and Mr Sudani, although unable to say when talks might resume, said he felt that Iran and Saudi Arabia are “ready to resume dialogue”.