Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with Ben Black, head of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), in Washington on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen economic and development cooperation between Iraq and the United States.
The talks focused on investment opportunities in infrastructure reconstruction, project financing, and long-term development plans. Key sectors discussed included energy, transportation, agriculture, digital technology, and services.
During the meeting, Al-Zaidi highlighted Iraq’s efforts to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues. He emphasized the government’s commitment to digital transformation, pointing to major initiatives such as integrated digital government services, expanded electronic payment systems, national data centers, artificial intelligence development, and stronger cybersecurity infrastructure.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of attracting U.S. companies and expertise to help accelerate these projects and support Iraq’s modernization goals.
For his part, Ben Black expressed the DFC’s readiness to expand its presence in Iraq. He said the organization is prepared to provide financing partnerships for investment projects, contribute to Iraq’s development fund, and support American companies interested in participating in development and infrastructure projects across the country.
The meeting reflects growing cooperation between Iraq and the United States as Iraq continues to pursue economic diversification, infrastructure upgrades, and technological development as part of its broader long-term growth strategy.
