Washington DC, 14 January 2022 (TDI): United States Secretary of State, Antony J Blinken spoke with the Speaker of Iraq’s Council of Representatives (COR), Mohammed al-Halbousi.
Blinken congratulated Mohammed al-Halbousi for the re-election to the Seat of Speaker of COR. The Secretary also expressed appreciation for the role that the COR plays in the democratic process and the upholding of Iraq sovereignty.
Furthermore, the Secretary discussed the work ahead, including the formation of a new government that will address the urgent challenges of Iraq, Blinken underlined US support for a stable, prosperous, democratic, and unified Iraq.
Iraq Council of Representatives
The COR of Iraq or the parliament is unicameral and comprises 329 seats. The Council first started after the initiation of the constitutional monarchy in Iraq in 1925.
In the 1925 constitution, the Council was bicameral, and it has known many reforms. The latest is the reform of 2019, in which a new law was created, which aimed to make it easier for independent politicians to win a seat in the COR.
Indeed, the reform of 2019 set that each of Iraq’s governorates split into several districts. One legislator is elected per 10,000 people. Their elections will become a district-based system instead of a proportional representation system.
United States and Iraq Relationship
The US and Iraq diplomatic relations started in 1930. Their relationship started with a convention between the United Kingdom, Iraq, and the US. Iraq is a strategic partner to the US, both work for ending terrorism, are economic partners, and interact in the multilateral area.
First, regarding terrorism, Iraq works with the US to fight ISIS, the fighting resulted in the ending of ISIS in Iraq in 2017. Now, the US and Iraq work to help other countries in the region.
Second, Both nations are economic partners. For instance, the US is one of the largest trading partners of Iraq and has a trade investment framework with them. Both signed MOUs of 8 billion dollars to deal with American companies.
Thirdly, in the international arena, both cooperate through international organizations, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary fund (IMF), the World Bank, the United Nations (UN), and the Arab League.
