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Sudani Values Saudi Arabia’s Role in the Region

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani (AP)
Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani (AP)
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Sudani Values Saudi Arabia’s Role in the Region

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani (AP)
Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani (AP)

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani praised Saudi Arabia’s leading role in the region, emphasizing the importance of developing relations between the two countries in various fields, including electrical interconnection.

During a press conference following the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Iraqi premier said that his country was “keen on building balanced relations with brothers and friends.”

He continued: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important country in the region, and Iraq has historical relations with it,” pointing to initiatives and activities launched by the previous governments, and at the level of the two countries’ Supreme Coordination Council.

Regarding the electrical interconnection project, which was concluded by the government of former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, Al-Sudani said: “More than one proposal can be activated in a way that develops the relationship on the economic side, and unifies positions and coordination towards various issues that concern the stability of the region.”

On Iraq’s relationship with OPEC, the Iraqi prime minister stressed that his country was keen on the stability of oil prices, noting that the level of supply and demand should not affect growth rates and prices in general.

However, he stated that Iraq was open to dialogue on the rates of production and prices.

“Iraq is a member and a founding country of the Organization (OPEC); it is also the third country at the level of production by 4.650 million barrels per day,” he remarked.

Sudani added that his country believes it necessary to reconsider its share of production for several reasons, mainly because it is the third country at the level of organization, amid an increasing population that touched 41 million people.

Regarding the relationship with the Kurdistan region, where the regional government intends to send a delegation to Baghdad to solve outstanding problems between the two parties, Al-Sudani said: “The intention, the will and determination to solve the problems with the Kurdistan region of Iraq are all there.”

He pointed in this context to the political agreement and the extensive discussions and meetings between the two sides.

He stated that the ministerial policy statement has defined a roadmap to address a number of issues including the border crossings, security services, the Peshmerga, previous fees and dues, the budget law, as well as the oil and gas law.

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UN Says It's Ready to Ramp Up Delivery of Desperately Needed Aid to Gaza

A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
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UN Says It's Ready to Ramp Up Delivery of Desperately Needed Aid to Gaza

A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)

The United Nations said Wednesday that it’s ready to ramp up the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza following a ceasefire agreement and urged the removal of major security and political obstacles so supplies can reach all Palestinians in need.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the announcement of a deal to pause the fighting “a critical first step” and told reporters that the UN’s top priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by the conflict triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel, The Associated Press said.
“The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels,” he said. “From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and serious constraints that we will be facing.”
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said aid agencies have been mobilizing supplies in preparation for a ceasefire to scale up deliveries of food, medical supplies and other key items.
Less than half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are functional, water production is at a quarter of capacity, 95% of school buildings have been damaged or destroyed and nearly all of Gaza’s 2.1 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity, said Catherine Russell, executive director of the UN children’s agency UNICEF.
The top UN humanitarian official for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, met with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials in recent days to discuss how to increase aid after a ceasefire agreement, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.
Kaag’s meetings focused on trying to overcome challenges to deliveries that could remain even after the deal, including gunmen stripping convoys of aid, Israeli restrictions on access to Gaza, road damage, unexplored ordnance, fuel shortages and a lack of telecommunications equipment, he said.
The UN humanitarian office reported Tuesday that “Israeli authorities continue to deny UN-led efforts to reach people with vital assistance,” Dujarric said. In northern Gaza, where Israel launched its latest offensive, the UN has been denied access to deliver food supplies since Dec. 20, he said.
In addition to the lawlessness, the United Nations faces a major political obstacle. Its humanitarian operation in Gaza depends on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, which Israel’s parliament voted to ban from operating in the Palestinian territories. That legislation takes effect on Jan. 28.
Guterres has said there is no UN agency that can replace UNRWA, and if it is banned from operating, Israel as the occupying power in the Palestinian territories must take responsibility for providing aid.
UN officials said it’s imperative that the ceasefire deal is fully implemented and aid is allowed to flow freely.
“With the collapse of essential services across Gaza, we must act urgently to save lives and help children recover,” Russell of UNICEF said in a statement.
Guterres said the United Nations expects its efforts to be matched by other humanitarian organizations, the private sector and government initiatives.
David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, said aid groups must be given full access and adequate funding to rush aid to Gaza’s people after 15 months with limited food, clean water and medical care. He said his organization would quickly ramp up efforts: “The needs are immense and need urgent attention.”
Jan Egeland, a former UN humanitarian chief who heads the Norwegian Refugee Council, said, “Israel must immediately lift all restrictions on aid and humanitarian agencies to avert famine-like conditions and ensure access to shelter, food, and medical care for all in need.”
He called on the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and other nations “to make sure Israel does keep all crossings open, enabling a sustained flow of aid that can alleviate further suffering.”
US President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, said, “The surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin. And the innocent people can have a greater access to these vital supplies.