The Prime Minister's speech at Jeddah Summit

Jeddah - INA

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi proposed, today, Saturday the establishment of the Middle East Bank for Development and Integration.

Al-Kadhimi said in his speech during Jeddah Security and Development Summit: "Iraq seeks to strengthen the language of dialogue in logic," stressing that "crises in the region call for cooperation between all countries."

The following is the full text of the Prime Minister's speech at Jeddah Summit for Security and Development: I am pleased to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the king, the government, and the people for the warm reception and generous hospitality and the good organization of this important summit, which we hope will contribute to the consolidation of cooperation and integration in our region.

We meet today amidst sensitive regional and international challenges, as well as amid great hopes and aspirations that cooperation efforts, building bridges of trust, and giving priority to the language of dialogue will bear fruit in order to achieve a secure and stable environment that guarantees a decent life for the peoples of the region.
Iraq, with the cooperation of its brothers, neighbors and friends, played a key role in fighting terrorism and defeating ISIS, but we still have an additional path to root out terrorism, which calls for strengthening national, regional and international efforts to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism and dry up its sources of financing through joint security cooperation and the exchange of information and expertise.
 the crisis in Ukraine require intensifying regional and international efforts to find quick solutions and unify efforts in the field of ensuring food security for our peoples and securing energy supplies.
The Middle East region has been significantly affected by the consequences of climate change, the water crisis and the dangers of desertification, in addition to all the health challenges following the emergence and spread of epidemics such as the Corona pandemic. All these crises require that we move together and united to confront them.

Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses,
The age of the constitutional democratic system in Iraq is approaching two decades, after decades of dictatorship, and this emerging democracy is still progressing despite major challenges and crises. But there are still political difficulties after the elections, which underscore the need to preserve the principles of democracy in public life, a path that requires more time and accumulation of experience.

After we passed the stage of expelling ISIS from our land, our military and security forces took hold of the security file, and they are constantly evolving to preserve the security of Iraq and the capabilities of our people.

Iraq seeks to enhance the environment for dialogue in the Middle East, and considers that the atmosphere of economic cooperation and security coordination between all brothers in the region directly serves the interests of our people as well as the interests of all the peoples of the region. 

The tripartite meetings and conferences that brought together Iraq, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have produced a common vision to open up the scopes of cooperation and integration in various fields, just as the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership was an expression of the historical ties that unite all the countries of the region. Iraq and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have taken important steps to strengthen their relations aimed at achieving integration in various fields. From this point of view, we have concluded two electrical interconnection agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and we are proceeding with the electrical linkage with Jordan and Egypt.

We have taken initiatives to enhance dialogue, cooperation and partnership in the region, and Iraq is following this approach in what is in its national interest and the interest of the region in general.

In this context, Iraq supports the path of dialogue and negotiations to remove nuclear weapons from the region and make it a safe area in the interest of the countries of the region and the world at large.

In this regard, the priority of finding a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and the need to stop all aggressive measures, violations and attacks against the Palestinian people, is highlighted.

 Iraq affirms that resolving the conflict on the basis of international legitimacy resolutions is the only way to achieve stability in the region.

Iraq supports the existing Yemeni armistice as a fruitful beginning to end the Yemeni crisis and restore stability, and support international and regional initiatives aimed at ending the conflict.

Iraq also supports regional and international efforts aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis, addressing its repercussions, and stopping its humanitarian suffering.

Iraq renews its stand by Lebanon in order to overcome its political and economic crisis, and to build bridges of dialogue and cooperation to restore stability to the country.


In the context of environmental cooperation between brothers, I would like to remind that Iraq, although it remains an important oil producer, but this economic artery increases our environmental challenges. Therefore, we are working quickly to invest gas that is flared in oil fields, and we are expanding the scope of investment in alternative energy.

 

Our countries, of which the younger generation constitute the largest proportion, face additional entitlements in terms of understanding the requirements of these generations, eager for progress and achievement, and their aspirations to exploit potentials and transform crises into opportunities.

In this context, Iraq also proposes to establish the Middle East Bank for Development and Integration in partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt and Jordan. The Bank is interested in sustainable regional development by financing infrastructure projects that will help connect the economies of the region. The Bank places in priority the development of regional electricity networks, oil and gas pipelines, highway networks, ports, airports and heavy industries with a broad regional market. It also finances Projects in the field of water resource management, desertification and climate change mitigation.

In conclusion, we hope that this summit will achieve its desired goals in the service of our countries, and that we will always meet to build a better future for the peoples of the region.                                       

Peace, mercy and blessings of God.