Baghdad mayor meets Italian envoy to advance partnership with Rome

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Baghdad Mayor Ammar Musa Kazim met Italy's Ambassador to Iraq, Nicolo Fontana, to discuss expanding cooperation in infrastructure, municipal services and investment, the Baghdad Municipality said. According to a municipal statement, the two officials stressed the importance of deepening the partnership between Baghdad and Rome and agreed to encourage reliable Italian companies to take part in service projects in the Iraqi capital. They also reviewed progress on procedures for signing a memorandum of understanding between the Baghdad Municipality and the Rome Municipality. The talks covered the sharing of expertise and the strengthening of institutional ties to improve service delivery in Baghdad, the statement added. No further details on a timeline for the memorandum or specific projects were immediately available.