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Iraq Plans Energy Contracts Worth Billions with Saudi Arabia

Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar during an interview with Reuters in Basra (Reuters)
Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar during an interview with Reuters in Basra (Reuters)
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Iraq Plans Energy Contracts Worth Billions with Saudi Arabia

Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar during an interview with Reuters in Basra (Reuters)
Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar during an interview with Reuters in Basra (Reuters)

The Iraqi government plans to sign energy contracts worth tens of billions of dollars with Saudi Arabia, the state newspaper al-Sabaah cited Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar as saying.

Baghdad is discussing a partnership with Saudi Aramco to explore and develop natural gas fields in Iraq's western desert, it said.

It added that the Iraqi government is also in talks with Saudi Arabia's Acwa Power to build water desalination plants and solar energy stations in Iraq. The two countries are also discussing joint petrochemical projects.

The talks focused on establishing long-term relationships that allow Iraq to benefit from Acwa Power's flexibility in implementing low costs and high-efficiency projects.

He explained that the Ministry of Oil and the Saudi SABIC Company have been in "intensive and positive" talks since April, which led to a special memorandum that will be presented to the Iraqi government.

The government is expected to discuss the Saudi company's participation in an investment in the Nibras petrochemical project in Basra under an agreement between the Energy Ministry and Royal Dutch Shell to establish a petrochemical complex with a capacity of 1,800 tons annually.

The minister hoped there would be a clear law regulating and protecting Saudi, Emirati, and foreign companies operating in the country.

The Iraqi National Oil Company signed agreements with major international energy companies, including the French Total, the UAE's Masdar, and the Norwegian Scatec.

The contracts will provide revenues and added profits to the Iraqi market and offer thousands of job opportunities.

The minister noted that it is natural for Saudi companies to be interested in a country such huge as Iraq.

Saudi Arabia sees that the sustainable development plans in the two countries fall in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its institutional frameworks.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.