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SUBJECT [Mar 13] Brussels III Conference, Iran-Iraq Business Forum, Kuwaiti Speaker meets First Deputy Speaker of Iraqi Parliament, Italy signs MOU with China
DATE 2019-03-13
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PHOTO: AP/Hassan Ammar.

 

Brussels commenced a three-day conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”, also known as Brussels III, in the Belgian capital on Tuesday to financial aid pledges for 2019.

 

The conference was organized by the European Union and the United Nations, and brought together over 1,000 participants from more than 85 countries and organizations at ministerial level.

 

Main high-level attendees include EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon Saad Hariri, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Jordan's Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will deliver a video message.

 

The purpose of the conference is to address the most critical humanitarian issues affecting Syrians both inside and outside the country, and to reaffirm financial support to the Syrian neighbors struggling most with the Syrian refugee crisis, in particular Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

 

Moreover, specific attention will be paid to the perspectives of the Syrian women, with Mogherini and Pedersen hosting a dinner with Syrian women on Wednesday, 13 March.

 

The last day of the conference will be marked by ministerial discussions and pledging. The European Union has been the top donor for Syria and the region, having mobilized over 17 billion euros (about $19 billion) in aid since 2011. Last year, Brussels II conference pledged 3.5 billion euros for 2018.

 

 

 

PHOTO: Tehran Times.

 

On March 11, 2018, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Iraq to attend an Iran-Iraq business forum in Iraq’s capital Baghdad. The event was attended by several senior officials from both sides including President Rouhani and Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, as well as the two countries’ Foreign Ministers, heads of Chambers of Commerce, and representatives of private companies.

 

The two sides signed 22 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Iran in oil, trade, health, transport, visas, and other areas to facilitate increased business between the two nations.

 

On transport, railways will be established between Iraq's southern city of Basra and the Shalamjah border crossing with Iran, and visa issuance between the two countries will become free of charge.

 

At a joint press conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi said Iranian President Rouhani's "historic" visit will "move forward the relations between Iraq and Iran for the better."

 

For his part, President Rouhani expressed Iran's willingness to develop relations with Iraq: “Iranian companies are ready to enter Iraq’s market and to supply the country with its needs in order to achieve an acceptable level of trade between the countries,” and stressed the fact that Iran is determined to increase the value of trade with Iraq from the current $12 billion to $20 billion.

 

 

 

 

PHOTO: MENAFN. Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim (right) with First Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Hassan Al-Kaabi (left)

 

Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim received the First Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Hassan Al-Kaabi on the sidelines of the 14th conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Member States (PUIC).

 

During the meeting, both sides addressed the most important issues that will be discussed at the conference and means of coordinating the positions in a way that are in the interest of the Islamic countries.

 

The meeting also discussed the joint cooperation between the Kuwaiti and Iraqi parliaments.

 

Parliamentary Caucus deputy chairman MP Rakan Al-Nisf, and other members attended the talks.

 

 

 

PHOTO: REUTERS/Remo Casilli/

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi di Maio holds a news conference in Rome, Italy, on March 8, 2019.

 

The Memorandum of Understanding Italy is drawing up with China is not meant to upset strategic alliances, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Tuesday in a bid to soothe U.S. concerns.

 

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said he might sign an MOU to become a part of China's giant "Belt and Road" infrastructure plan when Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Rome and Palermo later this month.

 

 

 

BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)