French President Emmanuel Macron waits for the arrival of a guest at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, February 25, 2019. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he would visit Iraq, where France will take part in reconstruction efforts, in the coming months.

“The old friendship (between France and Iraq) has served as a barrier against terrorism; we must now nourish it with concrete projects to build long-lasting peace together,” Macron told a press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih.

“That will be my message when I visit Iraq in a few months,” he added.