I have decided to bring Christmas greetings to all our soldiers engaged in peacekeeping missions,’ Meloni said before departing for Baghdad, where she was welcomed by Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’a Al-Sudani, according to a press release from the Italian Government published by Nova on Friday.

The premier stressed that ‘in Iraq, Italy has the command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission,’ and added that several ministers of her Government will also visit the Italian troops that are participating in other operations in the world, as a symbolic gesture to give an important signal.’

Italian military personnel is involved in two main international missions on Iraqi territory, ‘Inherent Resolve,’ launched in October 2014, with the participation of 79 countries and five international organizations, as well as Prima Parthica, with General Staff personnel.

Some 16 major Italian companies operate on Iraqi territory mainly in the Energy and Infrastructure sectors, and according to official statistics, between January and September 2022, exports to that country exceeded 526 million euros, 13.0 percent more than in the same period last year.

For their part, imports reached 3.97 billion euros, 74.9 percent more than in 2021, and the increase in the operations of the Italian energy consortium ENI, present in Iraq since 2009, stands out.

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