Signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministries of Oil and Defense

Within the joint cooperation between the Iraqi Ministries and in implementation of the directions of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Prime Minister, Mr. Muhammed Shiaa Al-Sudani, under the auspices of the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, the Minister of Oil, Mr. Hayan A. Al-Sawad, the Deputy of Oil Ministry for Extraction Affairs, the expert, Mr. (Basim M. Khudhair), signed at the Ministry’s headquarters on Wed. 13/12/2023 a memorandum of cooperation with the Commander of Army Aviation, the Lieutenant General, Mr. Samir Zaki, in the presence of the Director General of Oil Exploration Company (Dr. Osama R. Hussein).

 The Deputy said: “the memorandum of cooperation aims to enhance the joint cooperation between the two parties, as the Ministry of Defense will be responsible for the maintenance, operation and piloting helicopters belonging to the Ministry of Oil, within the international technical standards in a way that ensures their movements and implementing duties in various sectors of the Ministry of Oil”.

He also expressed his thanks to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, hoping that this cooperation will continue to implement the Ministry’s future program and achieve the strategic goals of the Ministry of Oil.

For his part, the Commander of Army Aviation, the Pilot Lieutenant General Mr. (Samir Zaki), confirmed that through the memorandum of cooperation, all the Ministry of Oil’s aircraft will be under the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry will be responsible for maintaining and piloting them. “We are fully prepared to implement and perform all tasks and duties for serving the national interest”, he said.