Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly asserted Egypt's support to Iraq in its war against terrorism, reiterating Cairo's backing for all efforts exerted by the Iraqi government to achieve development and enhance security and stability.

The premier's remarks were made during his meeting in Cairo on Thursday with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi in the presence of Egyptian Minister for Parliamentary Council Affairs Alaa El-Din Fouad and Iraqi Ambassador in Cairo Ahmed Nayyef Al-Delimi as well as a number of Iraqi lawmakers.

Mabdouly said Egypt's backing of Iraq was evident in the two presidential visits made by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to Iraq this year.

During the meeting, the premier praised the brotherly relations binding Egypt and Iraq which are based on mutual respect, highlighting that his visit to Baghdad in the past year was crowned with an agreement on a number of joint development projects.

Cabinet Spokesman Ambassador Nader Saad said the Iraqi speaker voiced deep appreciation for Egypt, praising the stances of the Egyptian political leadership towards Iraqi issues in various regional and international forums.

Al-Halbousi asserted the importance of exchanging visits between the two countries' officials in the coming period, noting that the Iraqi parliament will support the implementation of a number of joint projects in the coming phase.

Concluding the meeting, Madbouly asserted that he will direct the housing minister to pay a visit to Baghdad to meet with officials in the companies concerned to agree on more projects as part of a mechanism of oil-in-return-for-reconstruction efforts, adding that such projects will be ratified in Iraq's budget for the coming year