Iraq, Mauritania ink broad cooperation deals

Shafaq News – Baghdad (updated at 14:11)

Iraq and Mauritania signed a series of wide-ranging cooperation agreements on Tuesday, aiming to expand their political, economic, and cultural ties — even as official data shows trade between the two nations remains minimal.

The Iraqi–Mauritanian Joint Committee convened in Baghdad to formalize new memoranda of understanding (MoU) and executive programs covering foreign policy coordination, visa exemptions, education, culture, and trade. The agreements also included partnerships between the Iraqi Chambers of Commerce and Mauritania’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture, designed to encourage private-sector investment and joint ventures.

According to Trade Map data, total trade between the two countries reached only $55,000 in 2024 — all from Mauritania’s exports of 82 tons of frozen fish to Iraq. Iraq did not export any goods to Mauritania during the same period. Despite this modest exchange, the report recorded a 49% annual growth in Mauritanian export value to Iraq between 2020 and 2024, suggesting latent potential for expansion.

Mauritania’s Minister of Culture, Arts, and Communication Hussein Ould Medou told Shafaq News that the newly signed agreements “lay the foundation for a broader partnership,” emphasizing collaboration in industry, renewable energy, and agriculture. He added that “Mauritania welcomes Iraqi investors to explore industrial and trade projects,” describing Iraq as a country “regaining regional stability and economic momentum.”

Iraq’s Culture and Antiquities Minister Ahmed al-Badrani said the committee’s outcomes mark “a new phase in Iraq’s diplomatic and development outreach toward African and Arab partners.” The MoUs, he noted, also include educational and cultural programs for 2026–2028, strengthening academic cooperation and cultural exchange.