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US, Iraq Will Hold Strategic Dialogue in April, Says White House

FILE PHOTO: US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
FILE PHOTO: US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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US, Iraq Will Hold Strategic Dialogue in April, Says White House

FILE PHOTO: US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
FILE PHOTO: US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The United States and Iraq will hold a strategic dialogue in April and the meetings will clarify that coalition forces are in Iraq for training and advising Iraqi forces so ISIS militants cannot reconstitute, the White House said on Tuesday.

“This will be an important opportunity to discuss our mutual interests across a range of fields from security to culture, trade, and climate,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

“The meetings will further clarify that coalition forces are in Iraq solely for the purpose of training and advising Iraqi forces to ensure that ISIS cannot reconstitute,” she added.

This came in response to Iraq's formal request to President Joe Biden’s administration calling for setting a date to resume strategic talks on bilateral relations and the withdrawal of remaining US combat forces.

The discussions are meant to shape the future of the US-Iraq relationship, according to The Associated Press.

Relations between the two countries have been fraught with tension, particularly following the US airstrike in January 2020 that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and deputy chief of the Popular Mobilization Forces Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis just outside the Baghdad airport.

Relations have improved since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took over the helm of Iraq’s government in May. But some parties, notably parliament’s Iran-backed Fatah bloc, continue to call for the withdrawal of US forces.

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UN’s Tetteh Urges Libyan, Int’l Support for Advisory Committee

The head of the United Nations mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh and Egypt's Ambassador to Libya, Tamer El-Hefny (UN)
The head of the United Nations mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh and Egypt's Ambassador to Libya, Tamer El-Hefny (UN)
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UN’s Tetteh Urges Libyan, Int’l Support for Advisory Committee

The head of the United Nations mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh and Egypt's Ambassador to Libya, Tamer El-Hefny (UN)
The head of the United Nations mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh and Egypt's Ambassador to Libya, Tamer El-Hefny (UN)

The head of the United Nations mission in Libya, Hanna Tetteh, said the mission’s Advisory Committee needs support from Libyan parties and international partners to help create the right conditions for elections.

The UN mission said in a statement on Wednesday that Tetteh made the remarks during a meeting in Tripoli with Egypt's Ambassador to Libya, Tamer El-Hefny. The two discussed the committee’s ongoing work as well as Libya’s political and economic situation.

Tetteh reaffirmed the mission’s support for a Libyan-led reconciliation process facilitated by the African Union, emphasizing its victim-centered and human rights-based approach.

During a video meeting with Wahida Ayari, the Head of the AU Liaison Office in Libya (AULOL), Tetteh also discussed the protection of migrants and refugees in the country, the UN mission said.

Tetteh briefed Ayari on the work of the Advisory Committee and broader political process, while Ayari reiterated the African Union’s support for the UN mission’s mandate and efforts in Libya, according to the statement.

In a separate discussion, Tetteh and Greek Ambassador to Egypt Nikolaos Garilidis stressed the importance of maintaining Libya’s stability and ensuring effective management of its economic resources.

They also reviewed the political process, including the Advisory Committee’s ongoing work and economic track, along with other shared concerns. The statement quoted Garilidis as reaffirming Greece’s commitment, alongside the UN mission, to advancing Libya’s political process.

Tetteh is set to brief the UN Security Council this month on political, security, and humanitarian developments, as well as the latest updates from the UN mission.

According to the Security Council Report, a platform that tracks and analyzes the Council’s work, Tetteh’s briefing on efforts to revive political dialogue will likely be followed by a statement supporting UN mediation efforts or a closed-door meeting to discuss ways to break Libya’s political deadlock.