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Meeting of D-IQ: 4 December 2023 in Brussels from 14.00-15.00

The Delegation for relations with Iraq (D-IQ) met for an in camera meeting on Monday, 4 December 2023 in Brussels from 14.00-15.00.

The main item on the agenda was and exchange of views on the current situation in Iraq and its broader implications within the regional geopolitical landscape:

· Anna Maria Panagiotakopoulou, Head of the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq division at the European External Action Service (EEAS)

· Maria Luisa Fantappie', Head of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa Programme at IAI, Istituto Affari Internazionali


Meeting of 9 October 2023 @ 14.00 in Brussels

The Delegation for relations with Iraq (D-IQ) met on Monday 9 Octtober in Brussels from 4h00-15h00. (CET) in room ASP AE2.

The main issue in the agenda was an exchange of views on the current political situation in Iraq, and prospects for cooperation with the EU. The EU Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq, Mr Thomas SEILER joined the meeting remotely from Baghdad, Iraq.

Meeting of 6 July 2023 at 14h00 in Brussels

The Delegation for relations with Iraq (D-IQ) met on Thursday, 6 July 2023, in Brussels, at 14h00-15h00. (CET) in room SPINELLI - SPAAK 4B1

The main issue in the agenda was an exchange of views on the prospects for economic cooperation and support for foreign direct investments to Iraq with:

· Ms Anna Maria Panagiotakopoulou, Head of the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq division at the European External Action Service (EEAS)

· Ms Sarah Rinaldi, Head of Middle East and Central Asia Unit at DG International Partnerships

The meeting was webstreamed via EP Live

Meeting of the Bureau, on 20/03/23, with the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs

On Monday 20 March 2023, from 13.30 to 14.30, at the European Parliament in Brussels, Mr Domènec Ruiz Devesa, First Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Republic of Iraq, and Ms Abir Al-Sahlani, Second Vice-Chair, meet with H.E. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq.

Meeting of the Delegation on Monday 27 February 20223 in Brussels

The Delegation met "in camera" in order to discuss the current political situation in Iraq, and to prepare the next mission to Iraq from 5 to 10 March 2023.

They held a very fruitfull exchange of views with Mr Ville VARJOLA, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq

Meeting of the Delegation - Thursday, 12 January 2023 @ 09:00 in Brussels

The meeting of the Delegation for relations with Iraq (D-IQ) took place on Thursday, 12 January 2023, in Brussels, room SPINELLI 5E2, at 09h00-10h00. (CET)

The meeting was devoted to an exchange of views on the state of play and future scenarios of the political situation in Iraq, in the presence of H.E. Ahmed Tahsin BERWARI, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the European Union.

D-IQ meeting, Wednesday 6 July, Strasbourg

A meeting of the EP's Delegation for relations with Iraq took place on Wednesday 6 July in Strasbourg.
The items discussed were the following:

- Debriefing on the SEDE mission to Iraq (week 21 - May 2022) by Madame Nathalie Loiseau, Chair of EP's Sub-Committee on Security and Defense.

- Exchange of views and preparation of the mission to Iraq and Inter-Parliamentary Meeting with the Council of Representatives of Iraq (week 38 - September 2022)

Archbishop of Mosul in the European Parliament in Strasbourg

© European Union (2022) - European Parliament
Last week, the European Parliament welcomed Monseigneur Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, Archbishop of Mosul and 2020 Sakharov Prize finalist.

Monseigneur Michaeel, who became a Sakharov Prize finalist for his role in promoting tolerance among religious communities in Iraq and saving religious and cultural heritage, came to Strasbourg upon the invitation of the Delegation for relations with Iraq, in the first in person meeting since before the pandemic. Monseigneur Michaeel also had the opportunity to bilaterally meet Members and leave his main messages to a broader audience in a short video.

Monseigneur Michaeel recalled the hardships minorities have experienced in Iraq during the last two decades. In particular, he highlighted the harsh period under ISIS rule, in which Islamist terrorists destroyed a large part of the Christian and Yazidi communities, not to mention the destruction of the cultural heritage, including temples and artefacts.

Monseigneur Michaeel provided Members with his account of the current situation of Iraq and pleaded for the international community to help rebuilding churches and help the minorities return to their homeland and retake their previous lives. He also draw attention to the fact that, even if not comparable to the ISIS period, there is still harassment and discrimination of minorities in the current Iraqi political situation.

Last but not least, Monseigneur Michaeel highlighted that many of the current threats to peace and security in Iraq arise from endemic corruption and the interference of international actors such as Iran, Turkey and the United States and pledged Iraq not to be forgotten in the international affairs priorities of institutions like the European Parliament.

Meeting of the Delegation for relations with Iraq, Wednesday 8 June

The last meeting of the Delegation for relations with Iraq will took place on Wednesday 8 June.
The main item on the agenda was an exchange of views with H.E. Moussa Najeeb Michaeel, Archbishop of Mosul and Sakharov Prize finalist, on religious minorities in Iraq.

D-IQ meeting of 6 December 2021

The Delegation for relations with Iraq held a meeting remotely on 6 December 2021 dedicated to a:

  • Debate on the 2021 Iraqi parliamentary elections: a stepping-stone to the future of Iraq, with the participation of:

· Ms Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel, Chief Observer of the EU Electoral Observation Mission

· Mr Domènec Ruiz Devesa, Head of EP's EU Electoral Observation Mission

· The Ambassador of Iraq to the EU, Sadiq Al-Rikabi and Mr Delavar Ajgeiy, Head of KRG Mission to European Union

· Mr Gabriel Munuera Viñals, Head of Division for Arabian Peninsula and Iraq (MENA.4, Middle East and North Africa Region), European External Action Service (EEAS)