NEW YORK: About 20 years ago in 2003, the United States forces alongside its allies invaded Iraq, forcing Malaysia to shut down its embassy in Baghdad.
The then US president George W Bush, at the time, declared that the allied forces wanted to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, subsequently putting an end to the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein.
Following security and safety concerns, several nations had either closed or shifted the operation of their respective embassies to neighbouring countries.
Since the US-led invasion, the Malaysian embassy in Jordan has been in charge of the country's interest in Iraq.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday announced that Malaysia was set to reopen its embassy in Baghdad.
Anwar relayed the matter to his Iraqi counterpart, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, during a bilateral meeting between both leaders held in conjunction with the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) here.
"I have informed the decision by the Malaysian government to reopen our embassy in Baghdad about some 20 years after its closure.
"During the meeting, we also had the opportunity to exchange our views on international and regional issues which are important to both of the countries," Anwar said.
He added that Shia and him also agreed that the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between Malaysia and Iraq, which has been delayed for a long time, would be held again immediately.
"The meeting will serve as a platform for both countries to discuss and formulate the scope of cooperation in many sectors especially the economy, education, aviation, tourism as well as to explore new forms of cooperations," Anwar said.
The 2003 Iraq war ensued after the US claimed foreign jihadists, which was categorised as terrorists by the western nation, flocked and made the Middle East countries including Iraq as their base.
Saddam was also accused of training fighters to attack assets belonging to western countries including the US where two planes rammed into the World Trade Centre here claiming the lives of over 1,000 during the Sept 11 tragedy in 2001.