“Tidbits From TNT” Friday Morning 1-17-2025

TNT:

Tishwash:  Al-Sudani leaves London for Baghdad after concluding his visit to the United Kingdom

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani concluded his visit to the United Kingdom today, Friday (January 17, 2025), and headed to Baghdad.

Al-Sudani's media office stated in a statement received by "Baghdad Today" that the latter "left the British capital, London, heading to Baghdad after concluding his official visit to the United Kingdom, which included the following:

- Meeting with His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom.

- Meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

- Heading the Iraqi delegation in the extensive bilateral talks between the two countries.

- Issuing a joint statement with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

- Signing a broad partnership and cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom.

- Meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

- Meeting with British Defense Secretary John Healey.

- Meeting with British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

- Meeting with the British Minister of Science and Technology.

- Receiving a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

- Meeting with former Prime Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari.

- Receiving representatives of 24 major British companies specializing in various sectors and activities.

- Receiving the CEO of Shell Oil Company.

- Receiving a delegation from Stellar Energy.

- Receiving a delegation from Technip Energy.

- Receiving a delegation from BAE Systems for military industries and cyber security.

- Receiving representatives of the company (UGT), specialized in renewable and clean energy.

- Receiving a delegation from General Electric Company (GE).

- Receiving representatives of four Irish companies specialized in different fields.

- Receiving a delegation from the British telecommunications company Vodafone.

- Meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the British Clayton Company.

- Receiving the President of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in the United Kingdom.

- Receiving a group of British university presidents.

- Honoring the Prime Minister by the University of Greenwich, UK.

- The Prime Minister honored the Iraqi Professor Bashir Al-Hashemi for receiving the title of (Knight) from the King of Britain.

- Meeting a group of Iraqi students studying in British universities.

- Granting 20 study seats from the University of Greenwich to Iraqi master’s students in various specializations.

- Signing 12 memoranda of understanding in various specializations with British universities.

- Signing 8 memoranda of understanding between the Iraqi public and private sectors and British companies.

- Signing a memorandum of understanding with British Petroleum (BP).

- Signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Climate Change, Environment and Carbon Economics.

- Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Sovereign Guarantees Initiative Committee and the British Export Credit Guarantee Corporation.

- Participation in a dialogue seminar held by Chatham House in London.

- Participation in a financial seminar attended by major British companies and the Iraqi private sector.

- Holding a dialogue seminar for the Iraq-British Business Council (IBBC).

- Taking care of receiving archival documents related to Baath crimes.

- Meeting a number of members of the Iraqi community in Britain.

- Opening of the Iraqi Cultural Center in London.

- Receiving an archaeological tablet dating back to the Assyrian era. 

- The Cultural Advisor to the Prime Minister was sent to offer condolences to the family of the late architect Hisham Al-Madfai in London. 

Meetings and press interviews of the Prime Minister: 

- Meeting with a group of senior editors-in-chief of Arab newspapers, opinion writers, and Arab and foreign journalists.

- Conducting a televised interview with BBC Arabic and English.

- Conducting a televised interview with the English channel (SKY NEWS).

- Interview with the Financial Times.  link

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Tishwash:  Sudanese seeks technical assistance from EBRD to boost banking sector

On Thursday, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, requested technical assistance from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to strengthen and develop the banking sector in Iraq, while stressing that the government has many projects that the bank can contribute to financing, including vital infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and public transportation.

This came during his reception at his residence in London of a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), headed by the bank’s president, Odile Renaud-Basso.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister's media office received by Shafaq News Agency, Al-Sudani expressed his appreciation for the approval of the bank's members for Iraq to join it in October of last year, stressing the importance of the partnership with the bank, especially since it includes cooperation in many sectors that the government has placed among the priorities of its government program.

During the meeting, according to the statement, the mechanisms for implementing the agreement signed with the bank, which was previously voted on by the House of Representatives, and the role of the bank in developing the Iraqi private sector were discussed, in addition to discussing opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy projects, including solar and wind energy, to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency.

The Prime Minister stressed that the government has many projects that the Bank can contribute to financing, including vital infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and public transportation, especially in areas affected by the conflict, as well as requesting technical assistance from the Bank to strengthen and develop the banking sector in Iraq, pointing out the importance of the Bank President visiting Iraq to explore potential opportunities for cooperation.

During the meeting, it was proposed to establish a joint working group to determine the priorities of the projects in which the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will participate in Iraq, according to the statement.  link

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