Iraq is a vital country in the region. It is an essential part of India's extended neighbourhood, not merely for its ineluctable geopolitical and geo-economic significance but also because of its vast historical and cultural importance.
Iraq is a vital country in the region. It is an essential part of India's extended neighbourhood, not merely for its ineluctable geopolitical and geo-economic significance but also because of its vast historical and cultural importance.
Iraq is a vital country in the region. It is an essential part of India's extended neighbourhood, not merely for its ineluctable geopolitical and geo-economic significance but also because of its vast historical and cultural importance.
Iran’s readiness for restoring diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia after six years since Riyadh cut ties in January 2016 is part of broader revival of diplomacy in the region after a decade of intense geopolitical competition and proxy wars involving Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies and Turkey & Iran.
The new government in Iraq is likely to face challenges in addressing the issues of political instability, economic crisis, inflation, unemployment, among others. It will also have to maintain a balance between the US, the Arab allies, Iran and Turkey, the main external actors active in Iraq.
The Baghdad Conference is significant for a variety of reasons including Iraq’s attempt to emerge as a regional mediator and reduce tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the one hand, and Turkey and Egypt–UAE, on the other. However, at the core of it, the event was aimed at reviving Iraq’s economic and political fortunes.
Since taking over as the Iraqi prime minister in May 2020, Mustafa al-Kadhimi has blended pragmatism with caution while dealing with significant domestic as well as external challenges.
The pandemic continues to amplify the crisis in West Asia, making it hard for governments to cope with it individually. In the absence of a coordinated effort at the regional level, the road to economic recovery will be long and uneven.
