ERBIL () – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi said on Monday that Iraq is working to increase its crude oil production capacity from 4.8 million to 10 million barrels per day (bpd), as he met with representatives of major French companies in Paris.
According to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office on Monday, Al-Zaidi met with the heads and representatives of prominent French companies during his visit to France to discuss investment opportunities and ways to expand their presence in the Iraqi market.
Al-Zaidi described France as a historic and trusted partner, pledging that his government would provide the necessary facilities and create a suitable environment to attract investment in pharmaceuticals, railways, infrastructure, the wider economy, and energy.
He said Iraq’s plans to expand crude oil production are part of a broader project that also includes major development and investment in associated gas.
The prime minister also called on French companies to take a more active role in developing Iraq’s mineral resources, including sulfur, phosphate, and silica deposits, as well as its petrochemical industry.
Al-Zaidi highlighted the strategic importance of Iraq’s Development Road project, describing it as a key route for connecting economies and helping secure global supply chains.
He further said he and French President Emmanuel Macron had agreed to begin preparations for a Baghdad-Paris Conference to be held in the Iraqi capital.
The planned conference is expected to provide new opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation between Iraq and France and facilitate the signing of major agreements between the two countries.
