The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has signed a bilateral cooperation agreement on security and the fight against crime with his Iraqi counterpart, General Abd Al-Amber Kamel Al-Shammari, during his official visit to Baghdad.

The minister highlighted the ‘great work’ of the teams from both countries that have made it possible to sign the text, which was provided for in the Declaration of Intent signed on 28 November in Madrid. Grande-Marlaska and Al-Shammari had previously met in January 2024, also in Madrid, and on 31 March, both coincided in London during the Border Security Summit.

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Spain and Iraq sign a bilateral cooperation agreement on security and the fight against crime

The document establishes a legal framework to reinforce the ‘positive’ bilateral cooperation between the two countries in security, training, and the exchange of best practices in the areas of serious and transnational crime, organised crime, and terrorism.

The agreement also provides for the creation of a monitoring commission and the exchange of liaison officers as priority information channels. Until now, the bilateral relationship was articulated through the European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq (EUAM), with which collaboration will continue, as well as with other EU-funded projects in the country.

After the meeting at the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior, the minister, accompanied by his counterpart, visited the Iraqi Police Academy, the Police Coordination Centre and the Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency.

Reopening of the Instituto Cervantes extension in Baghdad
During the visit to Baghdad, the minister took part in the signing ceremony of the agreement between the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) and the Instituto Cervantes to reopen an extension of the institution at the AUIB, which will continue to promote linguistic and cultural exchange between Iraq and Spain.

Visit to the embassy and the staff of the NATO mission in Iraq
Grande-Marlaska also visited the Spanish Embassy in Iraq to meet with the staff of the diplomatic representation in the country and with the members of the Spanish contingent in the NATO Mission in Iraq (NMI), headed by Brigadier General José de Meer. The international mission focuses on advisory functions for the development of the country’s armed forces and security institutions.