EU: We Support The Reform Program Of The Government, And We Will Continue To Assist Iraq
Baghdad / NINA / - The European Union affirmed its support for the ambitious reform program of Prime Minister Muhammad Al-Sudani, and what lies at the heart of this program in terms of combating corruption, and what it aims to provide better services to all the Iraqi people.
The Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq, Ambassador Ville Varjola, said, during the activities celebrating Europe Day, which started yesterday, Monday in the capital, Baghdad, "Europe Day is held to celebrate the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration in 1950. The declaration launched by the French Foreign Minister at the time, Robert Schuman, laid the foundation for integration Europe and its institutions.
He added, "It was intended as a utilitarian measure, beginning with the collectivization of the coal and steel industry, which would make war physically unfeasible. Europe was not created outright or according to a single plan. The Declaration sought to stimulate economic development and create solidarity among European citizens. As we can now see, this approach has worked, and countries that were once ruins now enjoy a high level of economic and social well-being, and deeply rooted democratic traditions, underpinned by the rule of law and respect for human rights.”
He explained, "The European Union is a firm ally of Iraq in its struggle against ISIS. Your struggle has always been our struggle and still is. The goal of this terrorist organization was not only to impose itself on the lands and millions of people, killing and enslaving them only if they revolted against it. Rather, it wanted to wipe it out. Any trace of the civilizations that came before it, and to turn our common history into ashes and ruins. This was something that could not be tolerated, so the world united to stop them. Now the European Union and its member states are working together with Iraq to rebuild the destroyed legacy of Iraq and the legacy of humanity."
He went on to say, "We were pleased to see our friends join us in supporting international law and global security. Iraq, for its part, voted with us in favor of the United Nations General Assembly resolution in February, calling for a lasting and just peace in Ukraine. The idea that it can change the borders using force of arms is a categorical and permanent refusal. Otherwise, this will create a terrible prefix, especially in a region that includes countries with fragile borders and prone to conflicts, namely the Middle East region.
The European ambassador stressed, "Our commitment to peace is also reflected in our support for Iraq's efforts to enhance regional cooperation. Ambassador Borrell, the European Union's high representative, participated in the Baghdad conference in December of last year, which was organized in Jordan. We look forward to the next session of the conference at a later time. From this year, we will be keen to stimulate the economic dimension of regional cooperation through investment."
He explained, "The region includes a number of issues that can only be resolved together, from climate change to water scarcity and transnational crime. This also requires better interdependence, increased interaction between citizens, and a blueprint for economic cooperation and regional integration. As Schumann predicted, we can offer our experience as a kind of inspiration to achieve this cooperation.”
He added, "Europe Day is a special occasion to celebrate the upward trajectory of our bilateral relationship with Iraq. On the one hand, this reflects the depth of the relationship that we aspire to make it stronger. On the other hand, this also expresses our appreciation for the growing regional role played by Iraq as a bridge-builder in the region, and as the High Representative of the European Union Borrell said recently, "The Government of Iraq can count on the European Union for the benefit of the Iraqi people, as well as for the sake of achieving regional stability." On my part, I can assure our Iraqi friends of our continued support for Iraq's stability, sovereignty and prosperity. ".
He went on to say, "We support the ambitious reform program of the Prime Minister, and what lies at the heart of this program in terms of combating corruption, and what it aims to achieve in terms of providing better services to all Iraqi people. The European Union has been working in financing important projects to keep pace with this new path - from Anti-corruption to improve the social security net.
He added, "Within two days, a tangible result will be achieved for our joint European efforts, on May 10, when the European team initiative will be launched under the name of the "Tawfiq" initiative. This initiative will focus on private sector development and economic transformation. It is our contribution to the Iraqi efforts to achieve economic diversification, which is an urgent and necessary effort at the same time.
The ambassador indicated that on March 19, after a hiatus of seven years, we succeeded in resuming work in the Ministerial Cooperation Council between the European Union and Iraq, which was co-chaired by the High Representative of the European Union Borrell and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. This Council revived the dialogue between us on important regional and security issues, and we established together a new ambition for the future through the Joint Declaration on Sustainable Development, Green Transformation, Governance, Regional Connectivity and Sustainable Finance. Also, after a year of political stalemate following the elections in Iraq, the European Union hastened to seize the opportunity to re-engage institutionally with the new government of Prime Minister Mohamed Al-Sudani.
He explained, "During the year 2022, the European Union was working in financing important projects to keep pace with this new path - from fighting corruption to improving the social security network, and I am very proud of the work that our mission accomplished with the 1.5 billion euros donated to Iraq in the form of grants since 2003."
He added, "The European Union will continue to help Iraq to overcome the remnants of the past, for example by reintegrating the more than 1 million displaced people, or dealing with the returnees from Al-Hol camp in northern Syria, or addressing the multiple challenges to Iraq's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as we will continue deepening our investment by working closely with European development financial institutions, guided by our flagship strategies: the EU Green Deal, the Global Gateway initiative and the REPowerEU. These strategies have the potential to mobilize hundreds of billions of euros for global scale investment.
He added, "The European Union will remain an active member of the international coalition against ISIS, and we will also maintain our participation in regional initiatives aimed at easing tensions, such as the Baghdad conference initiative, for example. We will continue to support security sector reform in Iraq through the work of the European Union's advisory mission." Noting that "the goals of the European Union in Iraq are not achievable through European institutions only, but thanks to the synergy of our work with the work of the member states of the European Union. I am grateful to them for the excellent cooperation that we had during the past months. We worked side by side, and we found solutions for various Issues, from immigration to economic development and support for reform, and I look forward to our future partnerships, especially in the field of climate change and green transition.
The European ambassador announced the organization of the first edition of the European Film Festival in Iraq. From this week's Thursday, May 11th to Thursday, May 18th, at the station in Baghdad, we will be showing a collection of long and short films from all over Europe. On Wednesday, May 17, we will expand the festival for one day to reach the city of Mosul, where it will be held on the grounds of the University of Mosul, with the support of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research./ End
