Germany, Iraq set to deepen energy cooperation

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) – Germany and Iraq are to increase gas and oil cooperation as part of Berlin’s ongoing efforts to further diversify its energy import sources, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday.

“Of course, we want to use import opportunities. Unlike in the past, we do not want to make ourselves dependent on individual suppliers, but mobilize many others and cooperate with them,” Scholz said at a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Berlin.

“Iraq would be a very welcome cooperation partner for us,” he added.

Germany is increasingly looking to countries in the Gulf region, notably Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, to meet its energy needs.

Al-Sudani said Iraq is ready to supply natural gas to Europe via Türkiye.

“We are building a railway line from this port (Al-Faw), together with the pipelines so that we can deliver our natural gas to Europe via Türkiye,” he said.

“These are projects we are working on and we emphasized that in our talks (with Scholz) today,” he added.

Al-Sudani called for German investments in Iraq’s gas and oil sector as part of his government’s efforts to bolster the country’s energy exports.

“We have ambitious plans for the use of gas that accompanies oil production and is being burned in the process. We have shown these possibilities and invited German companies to invest in this sector,” he said.

According to the International Energy Agency, Iraq is the fifth-largest oil producer and ranks 12th in the world with gas reserves of nearly 131 trillion cubic feet.

Iraq also exports gas via an LNG terminal opened by the Basra Gas Company in 2022.