Antony J. Blinken 71st U.S. Secretary of State | Official Website
Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, is set to travel to Amman, Jordan, and Baghdad and Erbil in Iraq. During his visit to Amman, he will engage in discussions with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr. Saleh Kharabsheh about Jordan’s energy security, renewable energy goals, and green hydrogen potential. They will also discuss electricity interconnections with neighboring countries including Iraq, as well as partnerships with U.S. companies.
In Baghdad, Assistant Secretary Pyatt plans to meet with government officials and representatives from various companies to further discussions that were initiated during Prime Minister Sudani’s recent visit to Washington. These conversations will focus on Iraq’s goal of achieving energy autonomy by 2030 through increased efficiency, renewable energy sources, and modernization of electricity grids.
While still in Baghdad, Assistant Secretary Pyatt will hold meetings with companies and government officials aimed at improving the efficiency of natural gas utilization. The objective is to create a roadmap towards ending environmentally harmful practices such as methane venting and flaring in line with commitments made under the Global Methane Pledge - a step forward in addressing urgent shared climate priorities.
Following his time in Baghdad, Assistant Secretary Pyatt will proceed to Erbil where he intends to explore ways of ensuring that Iraq continues attracting foreign investment. He is scheduled to meet senior leaders in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR) with an agenda of advancing opportunities that support Iraq’s clean energy transition. Discussions will also cover the crucial role IKR's natural gas resources could play in supporting Iraq’s energy autonomy.
In both Erbil and Baghdad, Assistant Secretary Pyatt plans to discuss the resumption of Iraq’s oil exports via the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline (ITP) as a measure to offset decreases in Russian oil exports to Europe.
For further media information regarding this trip, please contact ENR-PD-Clearances@state.gov.