Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar Ali al-Luaibi returned on Tuesday to Baghdad after an official visit to Riyadh, where he held meetings with senior Saudi officials. The minister’s office revealed in a press release that “the kingdom will implement a number of health and humanitarian projects at its expense, including two hospitals in Baghdad and Basra. It will also allocate funds in Saudi universities, open border crossings and establish free trade zones.” He added that Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed bin Salman has affirmed the kingdom’s support to Iraq with all its components without any sectarian discrimination, and keenness to reinforce and activate bilateral ties in various fields. Following the meeting between Luiabi and bin Salman, the Iraqi official stated that the vice-custodian stressed the importance of activating the Iraqi-Saudi coordination council to accelerate the execution of agreements in the fields of oil, energy, industry, minerals, technology, investment, agriculture, trade exchange and banks. Commenting on the establishment of the coordination council, Luaibi described it as a significant step towards cementing and developing bilateral ties between the two fraternal states. In Jeddah, he met Saudi Trade and Investment Minister Dr. Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi and they agreed on taking practical steps that would promote bilateral ties – one of them is the prospective visit of Qasabi to Iraq. On his meeting with Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, Luiabi said that Jubeir expressed the kingdom’s keenness to develop Saudi-Iraqi ties and take practical steps to reach an integrated partnership.