Iraq seeks German investment and oil export partnerships in Berlin

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Saidi visited Berlin to strengthen economic ties and invite German companies to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq. During meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, al-Saidi emphasized Iraq’s desire to diversify its oil export destinations, moving beyond traditional East Asian markets toward Europe. He proposed the potential construction of a pipeline to facilitate crude oil exports to Germany.

Al-Saidi highlighted Iraq’s goal to increase crude oil production from current levels to between nine and ten million barrels per day, with a target of sending half of that volume to the West. The Prime Minister noted that while Iraq possesses abundant natural resources and labor, it requires German technology and expertise to drive development in sectors such as energy, petrochemicals, phosphates, and clean energy.

As part of the bilateral cooperation, the two governments agreed on an action plan. This included the signing of an agreement with Siemens Energy regarding electricity supply. Chancellor Merz expressed Germany’s interest in a prosperous Iraq and noted that many German firms are already active in the country, contributing to energy solutions and waste management.