MANILA – The first bilateral meeting between the Philippines and Iraq after a decade will take place on Aug. 30 to 31, the Iraq Embassy in Manila announced Tuesday.

An 18-member delegation from Iraq, to be led by Iraq’s Ministry of Health, traveled to Manila for the 8th Iraq-Philippines Joint Committee Meeting (JCM).

Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Khalid Ibrahim Mohammed said the JCM will stimulate the bilateral relations between Manila and Baghdad by exploring possible cooperation in areas of health, energy, trade, investments, air services, consular work, education and culture, among others.

He said it will also look into improving ties between Philippines and Iraqi businesses and explore partnerships to grow two-way trade and investments.

“With the renewal of cooperation between our governments, Iraq targets to further strengthen its bilateral ties with the Philippines, which diplomatic relation was established 48 years ago when the Iraqi Embassy opened in Manila in 1975,” he said in a statement.

The last JCM was held in Baghdad in March 2013.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally established on Jan. 12, 1975, with the opening of the Iraqi Embassy in Manila.

In September 1980, the Philippine Embassy was inaugurated in Baghdad but was later relocated to Jordan in 2003 due to the Iraq War.

It resumed operations in Baghdad in 2011. (PNA)